A new illumination event, "Mountain-Loving Illumination in Kijimadaira," opens at Yama ni Koisuru Campground (Kijimadaira Yamabiko-no-Oka Park) in Kijimadaira Village, Nagano Prefecture, running for 65 days from Saturday, September 5, to Sunday, November 8, 2026. The event is produced by Tokyo-based seeds Co., Ltd. together with SBC Co., Ltd., based in Kijimadaira Village and part of the SBC Medical Group, which also operates Shonan Beauty Clinic.
It's a highland-style illumination event rarely seen in Japan, one that brings mountains, starry skies, and light together in a single setting. Visitors can take in a sky full of stars rarely visible in the city alongside roughly 400,000 illumination bulbs, with music, light, and fountains combining to create a fantastical nighttime world completely different from how the park looks by day.
A "Mountain-Loving" Experience
Kijimadaira Village in Nagano Prefecture is a highland resort surrounded by rich nature and clear mountain air. Rather than "decorating nature with light," the event is designed around a concept that makes nature itself the star, using that setting as its foundation:
- Light flowing among the trees
- Stars reflected on the lake's surface
- Animals appearing in the forest
- Fountains that move in sync with music
- A fantastical campground
- A sky filled with real stars
It offers a moving "nature x light" experience that can only be found here.
Highlights
A starfall of illumination
Lights coloring the entire venue blend with Kijimadaira's starry sky, creating an immersive feeling of walking among the stars.
A music, light, and fountain show
In the main area, a special show changes the illumination in time with music, creating a fantastical space that families, couples, and friends can all enjoy.
A "zoo" of light
Light sculptures modeled on deer and other forest animals greet visitors, with numerous photo spots planned around the theme of coexisting with nature.
A New Destination for Regional Tourism
Kijimadaira Village is known as a winter ski resort, but through this event, organizers hope to build a new identity: a Kijimadaira worth visiting in summer and fall too. They're also hoping for a synergy effect with the surrounding attractions — camping, trekking, local food, roadside stations, and autumn leaves — that helps revitalize the local economy.
Event Overview
- Event name: Mountain-Loving Illumination in Kijimadaira
- Dates: September 5 (Sat) to November 8 (Sun), 2026 (a lighting ceremony takes place on September 4, Friday)
- Hours: 5:00 PM to 9:30 PM (last entry 9:00 PM, parking closes at 10:00 PM); note that these hours differ from the park/campground's regular daytime hours of 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
- Venue: Yama ni Koisuru Campground (Kijimadaira Yamabiko-no-Oka Park) — 3278-80 Kamikijima, Kijimadaira Village, Shimotakai District, Nagano Prefecture
- Access: About 20 minutes by taxi from Iiyama Station on the Hokuriku Shinkansen; about 25 minutes by car from the Toyota-Iiyama IC on the Joshin-etsu Expressway
- Admission: Adults ¥1,500 / Elementary school students ¥500 / Preschool children free
- Parking: Free; the park is also open for daytime use (check the official website for daytime hours and rates)
- Organizer: SBC Co., Ltd.
- Planning and production: seeds Co., Ltd. / Takasho Digitech Co., Ltd. / Ashiki Hirotaka Design Office
Official Website: https://yamabikonooka.com/access/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yamanikoisurucamp/
Organizer Comment
Mai Nishishita, SBC Co., Ltd.
"Kijimadaira has real nature you can't experience in the city. At night, you can see an astonishing number of stars. I wanted more people to see this scenery, so I planned this illumination.
We wanted to gently accompany that nature with light rather than disturb it, creating new appeal while keeping Kijimadaira's mountains and starry sky as the true stars.
Kijimadaira has long been known as a winter ski village, but I don't think its appeal is limited to winter. I'd be glad if this event brings a new flow of people to the village, and as someone who works in Kijimadaira, I hope it creates more moments to feel proud of this place.
This isn't about 'watching illumination' — it's about experiencing light and starry skies within nature itself. There's a night here, where mountains, stars, and light come together, that can only be found in this place. Please come experience the highland illumination that only this location can offer."
