Chidorigafuchi Floating Lantern 2026: Dates & Spots
Tokyo Mate
Chidorigafuchi, famous as a Tokyo cherry blossom spot, fills with about 2,000 lanterns on summer nights in July. The 2026 Chidorigafuchi Floating Lantern event runs for two days, July 22 and 23, and you can watch the lanterns floating on the water for free.
Chidorigafuchi Floating Lantern 2026 Schedule
This is a summer-night lantern-floating event held at Chidorigafuchi, famous for its cherry blossoms. About 2,000 lanterns carrying messages of gratitude, hope, and peace create a dreamlike scene on a moat in central Tokyo.
| Event name | Chidorigafuchi Floating Lantern (皇居千鳥ヶ淵 灯ろう流し) |
|---|---|
| Date | July 22 (Wed) & 23 (Thu), 2026 |
| Time | 19:00-20:00 |
| Scale | About 2,000 lanterns |
| Admission | Free ※ Buying a lantern and riding a boat are paid and require advance application |
| Weather | Cancelled in bad weather |
| Main locations | Chidorigafuchi Greenway, Kudanzaka Park, Kitanomaru Park 📍 View on Google Maps |
| Access | Kudanshita Station Exit 2 (Hanzomon / Shinjuku / Tozai lines) Hanzomon Station Exit 5 (Hanzomon line) |
Viewing is free, but the boat ride and the message lanterns are paid, and both require advance application.
Lantern Purchase and Boat Rides Require Advance Application
Both participation programs (writing a message on a lantern and riding a boat to float it yourself) are advance-application only. The official sale period for general lanterns in 2026 runs until July 20, and sales end early once they sell out.
📌 If you only want to watch, you don’t need to buy a lantern.
✅ Boat Ride: Floating Lanterns from a Boat
Boat lanterns are available only to participants selected in an advance lottery. You cannot apply for a boat on-site on the event day. Applications for 2026 have closed.
- 60 boats per day by lottery
- Up to 3 people per boat
- Fee: 12,000 yen (includes 3 lanterns and the boat fee)
- 2026 applications closed
✅ General Lanterns
Advance buyers receive their lantern at the Chidorigafuchi boat dock reception on the event day and write their wish. Rather than floating the lantern yourself, you hand it to the staff, who float it during the event. Sold in advance until July 20.
- 2,000 yen per lantern
- Advance purchase only (limited quantity; sales end early once sold out)
- No on-site sales on the day
- Official sale period: June 5 (Fri) to July 20 (Mon)
- Pick up July 22 (Wed) & 23 (Thu) 16:30-19:00 at the lantern reception near the boat dock, then write your message
📌 The official sale period for general lanterns runs until July 20, and sales end early once they sell out. There are no on-site sales on the event day.
➡️ Apply to buy a Chidorigafuchi general lantern
Three Viewing Spots for the Chidorigafuchi Floating Lantern
There are three official viewing spots. No single spot is designated as the best, so choose based on convenience and your travel route.
① Kudanzaka Park (九段坂公園)
If it’s your first visit or you want to minimize walking, the simplest option is to head from Kudanshita Station Exit 2 to Kudanzaka Park.
🚃 About 3 minutes from Kudanshita Station Exit 2
② Chidorigafuchi Greenway (千鳥ヶ淵緑道)
A walking path along the Chidorigafuchi moat. Near the boat dock, there’s a reception for general lanterns and a boarding reception for boat-lantern participants.
🚃 About 10 minutes from Kudanshita Station Exit 2 🚃 About 10 minutes from Hanzomon Station Exit 5
③ Kitanomaru Park
The official viewing area across from the Chidorigafuchi Greenway. You can watch the lanterns around the Chidorigafuchi moat inside Kitanomaru Park.
🚃 About 5 minutes from Kudanshita Station Exit 2
Chidorigafuchi Floating Lantern FAQ
Q. Is the Chidorigafuchi Floating Lantern free? Watching the lanterns is free. Only the boat ride and buying a message lantern are paid, and both require advance application.
Q. What’s the nearest station? For Kudanzaka Park and Kitanomaru Park, Kudanshita Station Exit 2 is convenient: about 3 minutes to Kudanzaka Park and about 5 minutes to Kitanomaru Park. The Chidorigafuchi Greenway and the boat dock are about 10 minutes from both Kudanshita Station Exit 2 and Hanzomon Station Exit 5.
Q. Can I buy a lantern on-site on the day? There are no on-site sales. General lanterns also require advance online purchase, and sales end once they sell out.
Q. Can I ride a boat on the day? The boat-lantern program does not accept on-site applications on the event day. Only advance lottery winners can take part, and applications for 2026 have closed.
Q. Is it held even if it rains? It may be cancelled on the day not only for rain or bad weather but also if the weather suddenly changes, so check the official event information page before you head out.
In spring, cherry blossoms drift along the moat; in summer, small lights carrying people’s feelings slowly fill the water’s surface. A quiet beauty different from dazzling fireworks. If you’d like to slow your steps for a moment in the middle of Tokyo, add a summer night lit by the Chidorigafuchi lanterns to your travel plans.
🧡 Tokyo Mate Travel Guides
👉 Chidorigafuchi Cherry Blossom Guide | Boat Reservations & Best Light-Up Night Views
👉 Sumida River Fireworks Festival 2026 | July 25, 20,000 Fireworks & Viewing Areas
👉 Ueno Summer Festival 2026 | Dates & the Scenic Lantern Corridor