5 Gorgeous Okinawa Winter Illuminations

1. Toyosaki Seaside Park, Toyosaki Chura SUN Beach Hikari no Garden Illumination

The illuminations at Toyosaki Seaside Park include a well-received 100m long Hikari no Tunnel that glows in 6 colors and a 10m tall Shinbori tree. There\'s also a plaza glowing with Yume no Tourou garden lanterns, 4 areas split up with different decorations and snows, and a floating island of light with the ocean as a backdrop. The entrance ticket is the Yume no Heart Tanzaku entrance ticket, and on the back you can write a message like your dream and then hang it on a monument of light. On New Year\'s Eve, there\'s a countdown concert, and at midnight they celebrate the new year with fireworks.

Will be held from mid-December to the end of the year, 2016

2. Okinawa Kodomo no Kuni Christmas Fantasy

This Christmas event marked its 20th anniversary in 2015. The inside of the park is lit up with 1,500,000 lights, and Okinawa\'s largest laser show, Super Aurora Attraction, bathes the area in fireworks and snow. In the Yuki no Hiroba, there are various surprises in place that entrances visitors, such as snowfall, kamakura (snow huts), and snowmen, despite Okinawa being an area without snow. On the stage, they hold various performances such as street dances and Okinawa\'s traditional eisa (a dance that\'s matched to the sound of taiko drums), so there are many ways to enjoy this event.

Will be held from December 23rd (Friday) to December 28th (Wednesday), 2016

3. Kanucha Resort Stardust Fantasia

This is a winter illumination that must be seen. The events and attractions are split into four periods. The first one is Early Christmas, followed by the jewel-like Sweet Christmas, then Happy New Year, and finally with Sweet Valentine\'s Day in February. The illuminations, split into 2 areas, are dancing lights of many colors decorating the area, including a big tree, a prayer spot, a blue spring, and more. There are also time-limited open cafes and photo spots.

Early Christmas will be held from November 1st (Tuesday) to November 30th (Wednesday), 2016
Sweet Christmas will be held from December 1st (Thursday) to December 25th (Sunday), 2016
Happy New Year will be held from December 26th (Monday), 2016 to January 14th (Saturday), 2017
Sweet Valentine\'s Day will be held from January 15th (Sunday) to February 14th (Tuesday), 2017

4. Itoman Peaceful Illumination

Itoman\'s illumination was created with the concept of a "promenade of light wishing for peace," which has brought it a lot of attention. The event, which began in 1999, came about as a wish for peace from Mabuni, an area destroyed during the Battle of Okinawa, to the world. The venue, Uchina Farm (an Itoman tourist farm), is filled with emotional art pieces made of economically friendly LED lights that invite visitors into a magical world. Throughout the period, there are laser shows, and on Christmas and New Year\'s Even they hold special concerts and fireworks shows.

Will be held from December 10th (Saturday), 2016 to January 3rd (Tuesday), 2017

5. Okinawa Outlet Mall ASHIBINAA Winter Elegance

Winter at Japan\'s southernmost outlet mall includes a blue and white illumination wrapping the area in elegance. A must-see is the snowfall event in ASHIBINAA Plaza held 4 times a day. During it, pure white snow falls from the sky of the southern island, Okinawa! It will be from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm. The illuminations reflect snow, and create a mysterious, magical world. At the Queen Gimlet Plaza, there are illumination shows matched to music.

Will be held from November 1st (Tuesday), 2016 to February 14th (Tuesday), 2017

Even in Japan\'s southernmost prefecture, Okinawa, there are quite a few winter illumination events! There are illuminations with the ocean as a backdrop and man-made snow falling from the sky, so you can spend a beautiful evening only found in the southern islands there.