Nabana no Sato Illumination from Nagoya: Dates, Tickets, Trains and Buses (2026-2027)
Last checked: October 26, 2026, against the official Nabana no Sato website (Nagashima Resort): the illumination, fee, access and bus pages. Ticket prices, hours and bus timetables change, so please confirm on the official site before you go. This site is independent and is not affiliated with Nagashima Resort. This post may contain affiliate links; if you book through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Nabana no Sato is a flower park in Kuwana, Mie Prefecture, just west of Nagoya. From autumn to spring it holds a large winter light show. This guide covers the 2026-2027 dates, the ticket prices, how to get there from Nagoya by train, bus or car, and the special rules for Christmas week.
Key takeaways
- The 2026-2027 illumination runs from October 17, 2026 to May 31, 2027. The park is closed on January 6 and 7, 2027.
- Tickets cost 2,500 to 3,000 yen at a convenience store, depending on the date. Buy one in advance at FamilyMart or Seven-Eleven. The official site warns that without a ticket, printing one at the window can take more than 30 minutes.
- December 23 to 25 are special days. The park opens at 15:00 and you need a date-designated advance ticket.
- From Nagoya, the easiest route is the Kintetsu train to Kintetsu Nagashima Station, then the direct bus for about 10 minutes. The official page says the trip can take as little as 35 minutes from Nagoya.
- The lights run even in the rain, and parking is free for cars.
At a glance
- Dates. October 17, 2026 to May 31, 2027. Closed January 6 and 7.
- Tickets. 2,500 to 3,000 yen at a convenience store, depending on the date, and 2,500 to 3,200 yen at the window. A 1,000 yen coupon and entry to the Begonia Garden are included.
- Children. Children below elementary school age are free.
- Christmas week. December 23 to 25, from 15:00, with a date-designated advance ticket.
- From Nagoya by train and bus. About 17 to 25 minutes by train to Kintetsu Nagashima Station, depending on the train, then about 10 minutes by bus.
- By car. About 30 minutes from Nagoya by expressway, with free parking for 5,700 cars.
All of the above comes from the official pages on the date above.
Dates and the light-up
The official page lists October 17, 2026 to May 31, 2027, with closing days on January 6 and 7. The park operates and the lights are on even in the rain. The lights are turned on to match sunset, so the start time changes through the season. The official page lists the main lighting times as a guide, so check the date you plan to visit. Some lights along the paths may come on earlier.
The official page lists seven main spots, including:
- Hikari no Taiga (River of Light). The symbol of the illumination, described as the largest water-surface illumination in Japan.
- Hanakairo. A 200-meter tunnel of light.
- Hana-hiroba and the Flower Field of Light. The page describes champagne-gold lights, and flowers lit up by season, including cosmos from October to mid-November, tulips from late March to mid-April (the seasonal list below says late April) and nemophila from late April to mid-May.
- Twin Tree. The symbol tree, lit when the chapel bell rings.
Seasonal lighting of flowers and trees is also listed: maple trees from late November to late December, weeping plum trees and Kawazu cherry blossoms from late February to late March, and tulips from late March to late April. These are approximate periods.
The Begonia Garden
The Begonia Garden is a 9,000-square-meter greenhouse that the official page says stays at about 25°C in winter. Entry is included with the admission ticket. After the lighting time, the garden has a special show of sound and light.
Tickets and prices
The official fee page lists these prices for 2026-2027. Each includes a 1,000 yen coupon for use in the park, and entry to the Begonia Garden.
- October 17 to November 20. 2,500 yen at a convenience store, 2,700 yen at the window.
- November 21 to December 22. 3,000 yen at a convenience store, 3,200 yen at the window.
- December 26 to February 28. 3,000 yen at a convenience store, 3,200 yen at the window. Closed January 6 and 7.
- March 1 to May 31. 2,500 yen at a convenience store, 2,500 yen at the window.
- Children below elementary school age. Free.
Buy in advance at a convenience store
The official page says to buy your ticket in advance at FamilyMart or Seven-Eleven, and to bring the printed ticket. The official page says you can buy and use the ticket on the same day, and it lets you walk straight in without exchanging it at the window. The validity period depends on the ticket type and sales period, so check your ticket. Without a ticket, issuing one at the window can take more than 30 minutes. The ticket cannot be changed or refunded after you buy it. The coupon has an expiry date, so check the ticket.
Christmas special days, December 23 to 25
On these three days the park opens at 15:00 and does not admit guests before then. Date-designated advance tickets are required, and sales are limited. The hours are 15:00 to 22:00 on December 23, and 15:00 to 23:00 on December 24 and 25. The advance price was still shown as under consideration on the official page on October 26, so I could not give it. The window ticket, sold only if some remain, is 5,500 yen, which includes a 2,000 yen coupon. Regular, member and advance tickets for other dates cannot be used on these days, and the disability discount does not apply.
Free entry with a restaurant reservation
If you reserve a designated course in advance at one of four restaurants (the Italian restaurant Mugi, the Western restaurant Marseille, the Japanese restaurant Hisui or the Chinese restaurant Tosen), entry to the park is free. Do not buy a ticket if you use this. Same-day reservations are not accepted, and conditions differ by restaurant.
Getting there from Nagoya
By train and bus (recommended by the park)
1. Kintetsu Nagoya Station to Kintetsu Nagashima Station. The official page gives about 25 minutes by semi-express, which runs on weekdays too. Some weekend and holiday express trains stop at Nagashima Station in the illumination season and take about 17 minutes. Otherwise express trains need a change at Kintetsu Yatomi, for about 25 minutes in total. 2. Direct bus from Kintetsu Nagashima Station to Nabana no Sato. The ride is about 10 minutes, and the official English text gives about 230 yen one way. IC cards such as Suica, ICOCA and manaca are accepted.
The bus timetable page I found is labeled as the 2025 season and says the information was current as of September 2025, so check the current timetable with Mie Kotsu (0594-22-0595). The bus runs every day in the season, except on the closing days.
Direct bus from the Meitetsu Bus Center
The park lists a direct bus from the Meitetsu Bus Center in Nagoya, which takes about 30 minutes. The bus leaves from stop 2 on the third floor. The page says to use the toilet beforehand in case of traffic jams. Some extra buses to Nagashima Onsen do not stop at Nabana no Sato, so check before you board. Check the timetable and fare on the Meitetsu Bus site.
By car
The official page says it is about 30 minutes from Nagoya by expressway. From the Higashi-Meihan Expressway, use the Nagashima IC. From the Isewangan Expressway, use the Wangan Nagashima IC. The page says National Route 1 and the Higashi-Meihan Expressway are expected to be congested, and recommends the Isewangan Expressway and Route 23.
Parking is free for passenger cars, with 5,700 spaces. Buses and large vehicles pay 2,000 yen. The lots are locked outside business hours, and are only for people visiting Nabana no Sato.
The park asks visitors to use public transportation as much as possible to avoid congestion in the area.
When to arrive
The official page recommends arriving before the lights come on, so you can eat, bathe or see the Begonia Garden first:
- On weekdays, arrive by 16:00.
- On weekends and holidays, arrive by 15:00.
For leaving, it recommends waiting until later on normal days:
- On weekdays, leave after 19:00.
- On weekends and holidays, leave after 20:00.
This advice does not apply to very crowded days. For strollers and wheelchairs, the official page suggests relaxing in the warm Begonia Garden from before the lighting until about 30 minutes after, then entering the park once the paths are clearer. The park publishes a crowd forecast for each date on its site.
A plan for an evening visit
1. Buy a ticket at a convenience store before the day. 2. Take the Kintetsu train from Nagoya in the early afternoon, then the direct bus. 3. Arrive before the lights. Look around the Begonia Garden and eat at a restaurant. 4. Watch the lights come on, then walk through the River of Light, the 200-meter tunnel and the Twin Tree. 5. Plan your return. Check the last bus from Nabana no Sato to Kintetsu Nagashima Station and the last train to Nagoya before the day.
Guided tours from Nagoya
If you would rather not manage the trains and the ticket yourself, these two Klook bus tours leave from Nagoya. Prices are the starting prices in Klook search results on October 26, 2026, and change by date. Read each page for what the price covers: the first tour’s page lists the Nabana no Sato admission fee separately (adult 2,500 yen, child 1,500 yen on that page), while the official site says children below elementary school age are free.
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Frequently asked questions
When is the illumination in 2026-2027? From October 17, 2026 to May 31, 2027, closed on January 6 and 7.
How much does it cost? From 2,500 to 3,000 yen with a convenience store ticket, depending on the date, including a 1,000 yen coupon. Children below elementary school age are free.
Do I need to book? The official site asks you to buy a ticket at a convenience store in advance. On December 23 to 25, you need a date-designated advance ticket.
How do I get there from Nagoya? By Kintetsu train to Kintetsu Nagashima Station, then the direct bus of about 10 minutes. There is also a direct bus of about 30 minutes from the Meitetsu Bus Center.
Is it open in the rain? Yes. The official page says the illumination runs as usual in the rain.
Is parking free? Yes, for passenger cars. Large vehicles pay 2,000 yen.