{"id":2372,"date":"2026-10-23T02:49:57","date_gmt":"2026-10-23T02:49:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thejapanpro.com\/blog\/?p=2372"},"modified":"2026-10-23T02:50:13","modified_gmt":"2026-10-23T02:50:13","slug":"chichibu-night-festival","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thejapanpro.com\/blog\/chichibu-night-festival\/","title":{"rendered":"Chichibu Night Festival 2026: Schedule, \u00a54,000 Seats and Laview Tickets for 2\u20133 December"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Chichibu Night Festival<\/strong> (Chichibu Yomatsuri) is on Wednesday 2 and Thursday 3 December 2026<\/strong>, and 3 December is the night that matters. Six huge floats are hauled through Chichibu after dark and up the steep Dangozaka slope while fireworks go off overhead, from about 19:00 until around 22:00.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is six weeks away, and the clock is already running. The last batch of \u00a54,000 paid seats goes on sale over the counter in Chichibu on 31 October, and Seibu\u2019s Laview limited express tickets for 3 December should go on sale around 3 November. This guide covers both, plus the hour-by-hour plan, where to stand, the crowd rules, the cold and where to sleep. For the full year, see our Japanese festival calendar<\/a>. Checked 23 October 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n

Thu 3 Dec 2026<\/p>

Main night (taisai)<\/p><\/div>

\u00a54,000<\/p>

Reserved float seat, 2026<\/p><\/div>

~77 min<\/p>

Laview from Ikebukuro, \u00a51,700<\/p><\/div>

\u22121.6\u00b0C<\/p>

Average December low in Chichibu<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n

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\"Chichibu
The Nakamachi and Kamimachi floats pass each other at the Chichibu Night Festival. Photo: Katorisi<\/a> \/ Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n\n\n

What to do this week if you want to go<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Chichibu Night Festival rewards people who plan in October. Here is the order to do things in, with the dates we could confirm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When<\/th>What<\/th>Status (23 Oct 2026)<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Now<\/td>Book a room in Chichibu, or decide to day-trip from Tokyo<\/td>Chichibu has limited rooms; act today<\/td><\/tr>
19\u201322 Oct<\/td>Postcard lottery for 150 seats (postmark dates)<\/td>Closed; draw on 27 Oct<\/td><\/tr>
Sat 31 Oct \u2013 Tue 3 Nov, 10:00\u201318:30<\/td>In-person sale of 200 \u201cB\u201d seats at Yao Department Store, 5F<\/td>Not yet started<\/td><\/tr>
Around 3 Nov<\/td>Seibu limited express tickets for 3 Dec go on sale<\/td>2026 notice not yet published<\/td><\/tr>
Late Nov<\/td>City publishes 2026 timetables, maps, parking and shuttle buses<\/td>Expected, based on 2025<\/td><\/tr>
Thu 3 Dec<\/td>Main night<\/td>Check the city site that morning for final times<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sources: Chichibu Tourism Association B-seat notice, 10 Oct 2026<\/a>, Seibu Railway 2025 release<\/a>, Chichibu City 2025 festival page<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can you still get Chichibu Night Festival seats in 2026?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Yes, if you can be in Chichibu between 31 October and 3 November. The paid seats are pipe chairs, all reserved, in a special enclosure at the otabisho in front of Chichibu City Hall. That is where the floats finish after climbing Dangozaka, and the only way to get a proper view of the climb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Detail<\/th>2026<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Date and hours<\/td>Thu 3 Dec, seats set up 17:00\u201322:30 (planned)<\/td><\/tr>
Where<\/td>Otabisho enclosure in front of Chichibu City Hall<\/td><\/tr>
Price<\/td>\u00a54,000 per seat incl. tax; paid from age 3<\/td><\/tr>
In-person sale<\/td>200 seats, 31 Oct \u2013 3 Nov, 10:00\u201318:30, Yao Travel Salon, Yao Department Store 5F, 1-5-9 Kamimachi; max 4 per person; cash only; first come, first served<\/td><\/tr>
Postcard lottery<\/td>150 seats; postmarked 19\u201322 Oct; draw 27 Oct; \u00a51,000 postage per group<\/td><\/tr>
Seat choice<\/td>None. Views vary by seat<\/td><\/tr>
Rules<\/td>Standing outside your seat only at the back<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sources: Tourism Association seat notice, 12 Sep 2026<\/a> and B-seat notice, 10 Oct 2026<\/a>. Questions go to the Chichibu Tourism Association on 0494-21-2277; the line is for enquiries only, not sales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The October notice mentions both A and B seats, but we could not find a separate A-seat sale on the association\u2019s site. If you cannot get to Chichibu for the counter sale, this is where we can help: someone has to queue in person, in Japanese, with cash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chichibu Night Festival 2026, hour by hour<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The 2026 timetables are not out yet. The city usually publishes them in late November. The outline below comes from the Chichibu Tourism Association, Chichibu City and the 2025 programme, so treat the minutes as a guide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wednesday 2 December: yoimiya (eve)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The quieter day, and underrated. Four yatai floats (Miyaji, Kamimachi, Nakamachi and Motomachi) are pulled along the main streets from about 9:00 to 11:00, with stops for dances. It is much easier to see the floats up close than on the 3rd (Chichibu City Q&A<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2025 there were fireworks from 19:00 to 20:00, single shells plus 370 starmines, and the evening ended at about 20:00 (Chichibu City 2025<\/a>, Tourism Association<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thursday 3 December: taisai (main night)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Time<\/th>What happens<\/th>Based on<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
From about 8:00\u20139:00<\/td>All six floats set out and head for Chichibu Shrine<\/td>City Q&A<\/td><\/tr>
Daytime<\/td>Floats stop for dances and visit the shrine gate; kabuki on a float stage<\/td>City Q&A, 2025 programme<\/td><\/tr>
About 19:00<\/td>The sacred procession and floats leave Chichibu Shrine for the otabisho, about 1 km away<\/td>Tourism Association<\/td><\/tr>
19:30<\/td>Fireworks part 1: starmines and a 100-shot salvo of large shells<\/td>2025 programme<\/td><\/tr>
20:20<\/td>Part 2: the competitive fireworks contest (the 71st in 2025)<\/td>2025 programme<\/td><\/tr>
21:00<\/td>Part 3: rainbow starmine contest<\/td>2025 programme<\/td><\/tr>
21:50\u201321:55<\/td>Finale: the Golden Waterfall<\/td>2025 programme<\/td><\/tr>
About 22:00<\/td>Floats reach the otabisho after the Dangozaka climb: the climax<\/td>Tourism Association<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sources: Chichibu Tourism Association<\/a>, Chichibu City Q&A<\/a>, 2025 fireworks programme<\/a>. Chichibu City counted about 4,100 shells on 3 December 2025, launched from Hitsujiyama Park.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The night carries on after 22:00, but for most visitors that is the moment to start walking to the station. More on that below.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Lantern-lit
A lantern-lit float at the Chichibu Yomatsuri. Photo: narusoraumi<\/a> \/ Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n\n\n

What are you actually watching?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Six floats: two kasaboko<\/em> (Nakachika and Shitago) and four yatai<\/em> (Miyaji, Kamimachi, Nakamachi and Motomachi). They are national Important Tangible Folk Cultural Properties, and the festival is part of the Yama, Hoko, Yatai float festivals added to UNESCO\u2019s Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2016 (Tourism Association<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Look out for these moves, all described by the city:<\/p>\n\n\n\n