Chichibu Night Festival 2026: 2–3 December, floats hauled up Dango-zaka under fireworks on the 3rd

The eve and the main day fall on fixed dates, whatever the day of the week.

On the eve, four yatai are paraded through town from the daytime until about 20:00. On the main day all six floats are out from the morning. The sacred procession leaves Chichibu Shrine at about 18:00, and from just after 19:00 until around 22:00 the floats reach the otabisho. Timings shift a little each year, and the Chichibu Tourism Association's programme is final (tel. 0494-21-2277, 9:00–17:00).

The festival is centred on Chichibu Shrine in Chichibu, Saitama, and the floats finish at the otabisho inside Chichibu Park, next to the city hall.

In the local legend, the shrine's deity Myoken meets the male god of Mt Buko on this night at the Kamenoko-ishi, a turtle-shaped stone in Chichibu Park. That is why the floats are hauled up Dango-zaka to reach it on the main night.

The Seibu Laview limited express (Chichibu service) runs from Ikebukuro to Seibu-Chichibu in about 80 minutes, stopping at Tokorozawa, Iruma-shi, Hanno and Yokoze. You need a limited-express ticket on top of the fare, sold on Seibu's Smooz website and at station ticket machines.

Central Chichibu has large-scale traffic restrictions on 2 and 3 December, and on the 3rd the railways run extra trains until around midnight. The nearest stations are Seibu-Chichibu and, on the Chichibu Railway, Chichibu and Ohanabatake.

The peak is at night, so expect to stand outdoors in December for several hours, and the crowds are densest around Dango-zaka. With small children or older relatives who move slowly, watch the daytime parade or the eve on the 2nd instead, or pick a spot away from the slope where it is easy to step out of the crowd.

On a day trip, arrive in Chichibu in the afternoon, watch the floats in daylight, visit Chichibu Shrine, and choose your viewing spot before dusk. On the main day in 2025, the Nakamachi yatai staged a kabuki play from 10:40 to 14:00.

To see the floats hauled up Dango-zaka, claim your spot before the sacred procession sets off, and buy your return limited-express ticket in advance.

Demand for rooms in central Chichibu peaks on both festival nights, so book as soon as your dates are set.

If you can't find a room, stay around Ikebukuro and make it a day trip, or stay at a Seibu Line town such as Hanno. Booking windows and cancellation terms depend on each hotel.

The main costs are the train fare and limited-express ticket, lodging, and food from the stalls.

For 2026, the reserved yatai viewing seats are in a special area inside the otabisho in front of the city hall, from 17:00 to 22:30 on 3 December (planned). Each seat costs ¥4,000, with a charge from age 3. You can't choose your seat, and how much of the floats and fireworks you see depends on where you are put. The 350 B seats on general sale are handled by Yao Travel Salon on the 5th floor of the Yao department store in Kamimachi, Chichibu (tel. 0494-22-6445). 150 go by postcard lottery, postmarked 19–22 October, with the draw on 27 October and ¥1,000 shipping per group for winners. The other 200 are sold over the counter, first come first served, from 31 October to 3 November, 10:00–18:30, cash only, up to four per person.

The seller has changed in recent years. In 2023 Chichibu Railway sold the seats through its Chichitetsu e-shop at ¥3,000; in 2025 Yao Travel Salon sold them, also at ¥3,000, and the railway no longer handles them.

Early December nights in Chichibu are cold. The floats and fireworks are all outdoors, and you will mostly be standing still.

Bring a hooded windproof jacket, gloves, a woolly hat and heat packs. Slopes and paving can frost over at night, so wear shoes with non-slip soles.

Each float belongs to a neighbourhood association, whose members handle the ropes and everything around the float. Don't touch the floats or ropes, and keep out of the haulers' path when taking photos.

Drones are banned across the festival area, and if one flies over the fireworks site the display is stopped.

The area around Dango-zaka and the otabisho entrance are the two busiest spots, and security staff control the flow of people. Follow their directions.

Roads can frost over at night, so walk carefully when leaving. With children, agree on a meeting point in case you get separated.

The Chichibu Night Festival is ranked with Kyoto's Gion Matsuri and the Hida-Takayama festival as one of Japan's three great float festivals. On 1 December 2016, 33 Yama, Hoko, Yatai float festivals, including this one, were inscribed on UNESCO's intangible heritage list.

The six floats are designated Important Tangible Folk Cultural Properties. The plays staged on platforms built out from the yatai, the hikiodori dances and the Chichibu Shrine kagura are designated together as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property.