{"id":10663,"date":"2026-01-30T14:29:37","date_gmt":"2026-01-30T05:29:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/careers.zen.group\/?p=10663"},"modified":"2026-04-10T12:05:24","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T03:05:24","slug":"exploring-kansai-vol8","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/careers.zen.group\/en\/2026\/01\/30\/exploring-kansai-vol8\/","title":{"rendered":"Exploring Kansai: A Beacon of Hope: Kobe Luminarie"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you know Japan, you know that winter is a special time of year. What makes winter in Japan truly unique isn\u2019t just the festivals, Christmas, or New Year\u2019s celebrations\u2014cities across the country come alive with breathtaking light and illumination events.<\/p>\n

Just a 45-minute ride from our office, you can experience one of Kansai\u2019s most iconic winter illuminations: Kobe Luminarie. If you love dazzling lights, beautiful architecture, and delicious sweets, you\u2019re in for a real treat.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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What is Kobe Luminarie?<\/h4><\/div>

Kobe Luminarie is one of Japan\u2019s most famous winter illumination events, held every year in Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture. The word \u201cLuminarie\u201d is Italian . It refers to a traditional Italian light installation made by attaching colorful bulbs to large wooden frames. The artistic beauty and size of these illuminated structures create an unforgettable and breathtaking atmosphere for viewers. Kobe Luminarie was first held f in December 1995, the same year of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, which occurred in January. Kobe Luminarie was created to honor the victims, and preserve the memory of the disaster for future generations. For the people of Japan and the city of Kobe, Luminarie means more than pretty lights; it is a meaningful event filled with remembrance for victims of a tragic natural disaster.<\/p>\n<\/div>

When is Luminarie held?<\/h4>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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This year marks the 31st Kobe Luminarie, and Kobe will be displaying lights throught the following time period:<\/p>\n

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  • Event Period: Friday, January 30th, 2026\u2013Sunday, February 8th, 2026<\/li>\n
  • Lighting Hours: From dusk until 9:30 PM<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    In past years, the event was held in December, but due to the cold weather, the dates have been adjusted to recently, late January to early February. It still can get quite cold during this time, so be sure to dress warmly!<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

    Where is it held?<\/h4>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

    The main venues are located in Chuo Ward, Kobe City, across the following three areas:<\/p>\n

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    • Higashi Yuenchi Park (Main Venue)<\/li>\n
    • Former Foreign Settlement (Kyukyoryuchi)<\/li>\n
    • Meriken Park (some areas charge admission fees)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Each venue features different designs of illuminated corridors and monuments, allowing visitors to enjoy a different experience at each location in the city.One of the biggest highlights is the stunning \u201cCorridor of Light (Galleria)\u201d in Meriken Park!<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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      At Meriken Park, you can also enjoy light performances and effects synchronized with music. Another must-see location is the symbolic installation at Higashi Yuenchi Park called \u201cSpalliera.\u201d While the Galleria creates a straight \u201ctunnel of light,\u201d Spalliera surrounds an open space, transforming it into a magical \u201cplaza of light\u201d that feels immersive.<\/p>\n

      \u203bPlease note that some areas (such as the Galleria at Meriken Park) may require a paid ticket. If you\u2019d like to take your time and enjoy the displays peacefully, we recommend reserving in advance!<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>

      Enjoy Even More! Food Recommendations<\/h4><\/div>

      After enjoying the illuminations, why not treat yourself to some of Kobe\u2019s famous local food?<\/p>\n<\/div>

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      • Street food in Nankinmachi (Kobe Chinatown): <\/b>Located within walking distance of the venues. Hot pork buns and soup dumplings are perfect for a chilly winter night.It is the perfect spot for those who want to soak up the lively atmosphere of the street stalls in a casual setting.<\/li>\n
      • Kobe Beef: <\/b>Since you\u2019re in Kobe, it\u2019s the perfect chance to splurge a little and enjoy world-famous Kobe beef steak.<\/li>\n
      • Stylish caf\u00e9s: <\/b>The former foreign settlement area is full of retro-modern caf\u00e9s, many located inside beautiful historic buildings. After enjoying the lights, it\u2019s a great place to relax with a warm drink.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

        For a more sit-down experience, the popular bakery cafe “TOOTH TOOTH FISH IN THE FOREST” in Meriken Park is hosting a special dinner buffet exclusively during the Kobe Luminarie period. The highlight of this event is their famous homemade bread buffet, which is usually only available during lunch hours but will be served throughout dinner for this limited time. You can indulge in a luxurious selection of dishes alongside their signature artisanal breads. With a stunning location overlooking Kobe\u2019s beautiful nightscape, why not treat yourself to a magical evening of gourmet food while basking in the afterglow of the breathtaking illuminations?<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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        Message<\/h4><\/div>

        Great ideas are born when both work and private life are fulfilling. This winter, why not experience the magical lights of Kobe Luminarie with someone special?Kobe is such a short trip from Osaka, so we hope you\u2019ll take the opportunity to visit and enjoy this unforgettable winter tradition!<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":10666,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[68],"tags":[49,97,44,94,95],"class_list":["post-10663","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-kansai","tag-essential","tag-events","tag-featured","tag-culture","tag-tradition"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/careers.zen.group\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/kansai8-thumbnail-1.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/careers.zen.group\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10663","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/careers.zen.group\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/careers.zen.group\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/careers.zen.group\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/careers.zen.group\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10663"}],"version-history":[{"count":29,"href":"https:\/\/careers.zen.group\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10663\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13018,"href":"https:\/\/careers.zen.group\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10663\/revisions\/13018"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/careers.zen.group\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10666"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/careers.zen.group\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10663"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/careers.zen.group\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10663"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/careers.zen.group\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10663"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}