Stars above Shiretoko National Park
Sydney, Australia (25 September, 2025): When the sun goes down, Japan’s nightlife lights up with a raft of activities from arcades and illuminated temples to night safaris, lantern festivals and beyond…and the action isn’t only in the city, with regional areas offering some of the most unexpected and unforgettable experiences after dark.
To help uncover the diversity of Japan’s nightlife, the Japan National Tourism Organization has shared a raft of out-of-the-ordinary nighttime experiences to try:
Starry Sky Sightseeing
Astro-tourism continues to gain momentum as curious travellers look for new ways to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and experience tranquillity and natural phenomena in the great outdoors.
Japan is home to three officially recognised International Dark Sky Places (IDSP) where visitors can join guided tours or just marvel at inky illuminated skies far from the bright city lights: Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park in the Yaeyama Islands of Okinawa; remote Kozushima Island in Tokyo, and Bisei in Okayama.
Other scenic options include night hiking in Kamikochi, Nagano, under a glittering alpine backdrop, or night photography tours at Mt. Daisen, Tottori.
Illuminating History
Many of Japan’s captivating temples are illuminated in the evenings, creating an otherworldly ambience for travellers taking a tour back in time. In Ishikawa, the NAKED Night Walk at Natadera Temple in Komatsu – a fully clothed activity – uses the temple and surrounding unusual rock formations as a backdrop for the digital art of NAKED, INC. Held across various dates during autumn, this is a one-of-a-kind activity where light, art and history come together.
During the Castle Town Festival of Light & Ice in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, artistic illuminations are projected on the ancient stone walls of historic Matsumoto Castle, a national treasure, bringing traditional ukiyo-e prints to life in a contemporary way. The 12-minute projection mapping visualisation runs on a loop from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm every night from 13 December 2025 to 15 February 2026.
Meanwhile in Tokyo, Tokyo Night & Light transforms the façade of the iconic Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building into a vast canvas for vibrant projection mapping. Running nightly, the large-scale show fuses cutting-edge technology with Japanese culture and seasonal motifs, offering visitors an unforgettable urban light spectacle in the heart of Shinjuku.
A pre-sleep soak
There’s nothing quite so magical as a scenic soak in a natural hot spring at the end of the day, and numerous Japanese onsen towns offer late-night bathing. Kinosaki Onsen offers a charming, traditional ambience and late-night bathing with guests walking between public baths dressed in yukata (robes); Ginzan Onsen’s gas-lamp-lit streets and Taisho Period (1912-26) timber buildings look like something out of a fairytale; and several of the historic inns in Nyuto Onsen in Akita offer outdoor night bathing surrounded by nature, such as Tsurunoyu Onsen.
To escape the lively streets of Tokyo for a stress-relieving dip, try the Tokyo Toyosu Manyo Club, a 24-hour onsen with superb skyline views located beside Senkyaku Banrai, a vibrant shopping and dining arcade inspired by Edo-period townscapes.
Nocturnal Nature
For a complete contrast to the vibrant nightlife of Japan’s cosmopolitan cities, head deep into the regions to marvel at Mother Nature after dark. During a night safari tour in Shiretoko National Park in remote eastern Hokkaido, visitors can spot deer, owls, thrushes and starry skies between March and November.
In Karuizawa, Nagano, a unique Picchio Flying Squirrel Tour offers a rare opportunity to observe the Japanese giant flying squirrel gliding through the forest at sunset. Also in Nagano, the Tatsuno Firefly Festival, held over a fortnight in mid-June, invites visitors to discover the thousands of fireflies that flutter around Tatsuno Hotaru Doyo Park. The town puts on a show to celebrate each year with street food stalls, games and a lantern-lit path to the park to witness the fireflies filling the sky.
In Oita Prefecture, the Usuki Takeyoi Festival running from 1–2 November transforms the streets of this historic castle town with around 20,000 bamboo lanterns. Inspired by the legend of Princess Hannya and the nearby Usuki Stone Buddhas, the event blends folklore, community spirit and artistry. The lanterns are made from locally sourced bamboo, part of an effort to preserve the satoyama landscape. Visitors can also enjoy processions, performances, and traditional festivities.
Legendary live music and karaoke culture
Live music is a major drawcard after dark in Japan’s cosmopolitan capitals, with districts such as Shimokitazawa, Koenji and Shibuya home to endless underground live music venues hosting quality acts from almost every genre. Don’t know where to start? Try Basement Bar, Three or Live Haus in Shimokitazawa, Tokio Tokyo in Shibuya, Socore Factory or the edgy Namba Bears in Osaka, Utero in Fukuoka or Nano or Takutaku in Kyoto.
Karaoke is a quintessential part of Japanese nightlife, with options ranging from private booths for solo singers to karaoke boxes rented by the hour by groups keen to channel their inner pop star together. More traditional karaoke bars invite brave aspiring rock legends to strut their stuff in front of other patrons…and inspire them to sing along.
For a more casual experience, visit a tachinomiya, a standing bar popular for post-work drinks and snacks, in Ueno or Shimbashi (Tokyo) or Tenma (Osaka).
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For additional information or image requests, please contact:
Anne Wild & Associates – JNTO’s PR Representatives in Australia
Emily Watters, Senior Account Manager
ewatters@awassociates.com.au +61 449 506 064
