Light spreads across Kurume at the 22nd Kurume Festival of Lights, “Hotomeki Fantasy”

From the station plaza along Meiji-dori and into the shopping arcade

The event takes place at Nishitetsu Kurume Station East Exit Plaza and along Meiji-dori, between the Nishitetsu Kurume Station intersection and the Mutsumon intersection. Rather than being contained within a single venue, the illuminated areas extend across the station plaza and along the street. Decide which spots you would like to see before you visit to help plan your time in the city.

Around 400,000 LED lights brighten the venue. Highlights include a tree and an illuminated tunnel. The event is not just about the scale of the illuminations: lights bring character to urban spaces such as the station plaza and Meiji-dori, so you can plan your visit around the scenes you want to see.

A “light promenade” will also appear in the shopping arcade between Ichibangai and Mutsumon. In addition to the station plaza and Meiji-dori, the arcade has its own illuminations, so you can choose whether to see only the outdoor areas or continue on into the shopping district.

The highlights are spread across different areas. If you plan to visit several spots, it may help to decide in advance whether you want to explore the plaza, Meiji-dori, the arcade, or a combination of them. Even if you are stopping by for a short time, narrowing down the areas you most want to see can help you choose where to go.

Lights on from 17:00; opening event scheduled for 13:00 on the first day

The event runs from December 12, 2026, to February 14, 2027, with lights on from 17:00 to 24:00. As the event spans two calendar years, check the lighting hours for your chosen date and plan your evening around the areas you want to see. You could decide whether to focus on the illuminated tunnel and tree or also explore the promenade in the arcade.

An opening event is scheduled for 13:00 on the first day, December 12. As activities are planned before the lights come on, you could visit from the afternoon on opening day. The available information does not list the performers or specific programme, so use the scheduled start time to help decide whether to focus on the daytime event or the evening illuminations.

The event is described as being a short walk from Nishitetsu Kurume Station on the Nishitetsu Tenjin Omuta Line. Since the venue extends beyond the station’s East Exit Plaza to Meiji-dori and the shopping arcade, check the location you plan to visit rather than assuming the station directions apply to every area or indicate the travel time. This winter event invites you to explore the city and its illuminated displays, from the plaza along the street and on into the arcade.