The Fifth Annual "Bamboo Lantern Festival" to Illuminate Tokyo Mizumachi and Sumida River Walk®
The Californer/10362567

TOKYO, Japan - Californer -- Tobu Railway will host the "Bamboo Lantern Festival" from Saturday, November 7, 2026, through Sunday, January 31, 2027. Designed to bring warmth and vibrancy to the winter evenings around Tokyo Mizumachi and Sumida River Walk, the festival will feature a variety of events and installations illuminated by the inviting glow of bamboo lanterns.

The bamboo lantern illumination, which originated at Ushijima Shrine in 2022, has attracted considerable interest from visitors over the years and now returns for its fifth edition. A major new feature this year will be a light display illuminating the water along a section of the Kitajukken River, between Genmori Bridge and Koume Bridge. For the first time, the river itself will become an integral part of the festival's lighting design, complementing the traditional bamboo lantern installations and extending the illuminated landscape into the surrounding waterfront environment.

More on The Californer

• On Veterans Day, California honors and serves veterans, investing in services and expanding opportunities
• Searching for the Next LBE Creator: CalArts Launches First-Ever D.R.E.A.M.S. Pitch Competition
• TCA VG: 2025 Funding Climbs to $9M across 43 Companies; Cumulative Returns Reach 5.3 MOIC & 22% IRR
• Integris Composites Joins International Sea Power Conference Aboard HMS Prince of Wales
• Commercial Sales Launch Following FDA Approval; National Sales Force Now in Action as January Shipments and Major Market Opportunity Take Shape

The overall direction of this year's illumination will be overseen by Kenji Mishiro of CHIKAKEN, a Kumamoto-based company specializing in the design and production of bamboo lantern displays throughout Japan. Tobu Railway will continue working with local businesses and community partners to create an inviting and lively atmosphere in the Asakusa and TOKYO SKYTREE TOWN areas during the winter season.

Event Period:

Saturday, November 7, 2026, through Sunday, January 31, 2027

Hours:

5:00 PM – 10:00 PM

All photographs were taken in 2025.

About TOBU Railway Co., Ltd.

TOBU Railway Co., Ltd. is a major Japanese corporate group comprising nearly 70 companies. The Tobu Railway network covers the longest operating distance among private railway operators in the Tokyo metropolitan area, providing access to numerous popular tourist destinations. These include Asakusa and TOKYO SKYTREE TOWN in Tokyo; Nikko and Kinugawa Onsen, renowned for their World Heritage sites and hot springs; the Tatebayashi and Ashikaga areas, celebrated for their seasonal flower displays; and Kawagoe and Tochigi City, where the atmosphere and traditions of the Edo period remain alive.

More on The Californer

• L.A. County Has 5 of California's 10 Most Dangerous Highway Stretches for Thanksgiving Travel
• Brooklyn Sound Lab Named Exclusive Music Agency of Record for Oakland Venue Formerly The New Parish
• Vanity Aisle Picks tarte's Viral Maneater Mascara & Blush Trio as a Top Holiday Gift
• New online beauty store Vanity Aisle brings free shipping on every order to holiday gift shoppers
• Clustir Launches Platform to Automate Memberships & Payments

TOBU also operates an extensive portfolio of hotels, including The Ritz-Carlton, Nikko; Nikko Kanaya Hotel, Japan's oldest Western-style hotel; and, in Tokyo, AC Hotel by Marriott Tokyo Ginza and the family-friendly Tobu Hotel Asakusa, among others.

For more information: https://www.tobu.co.jp/en/sightseeing/recommend/tourism/