Jan 29th
Feb 12th
A dragon-shaped lantern in Nagasaki
A dragon-shaped lantern in Nagasaki (Photo: Mandy Bartok)

Nagasaki Lantern Festival 2025

A two-week celebration for Chinese New Year

Mandy Bartok   - 1 min read
Venue : Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown When : Jan 29th - Feb 12th 2025, 5:00pm - 10:00pm

Nagasaki boasts Japan’s oldest Chinatown and those cultural ties are celebrated annually in this two-week festival that corresponds with the first fifteen days of the Chinese New Year.

Much of the activity centers in and around Nagasaki’s Chinatown, with parades and cultural performances. Many of the shows have their roots in traditional Chinese culture, such as lion dances and the Mazu Procession, a parade that recreates the route Chinese sailing crews once used to enter the port city.

A full schedule of the festival’s events can be found at the local tourist information centers.

More info

Find out more about Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown.

Mandy Bartok

Mandy Bartok @mandy.bartok

Japan resident for 10 years, with time spent in Okinawa, Kumamoto and Tokyo.