Sendai Pageant of Starlight 2026

The Sendai Pageant of Starlight (Sendai Hikari no Pageant) is one of Tohoku’s most celebrated winter events, running from 12 to 31 December each year along Jozenji-dori, a broad boulevard in central Sendai lined with mature zelkova (keyaki) trees. For twenty evenings, around 600,000 LED lights illuminate the canopy of the zelkova trees, turning the street into a tunnel of warm light. The event draws over two million visitors across the three-week run and has been held annually since 1986.

The Setting

Jozenji-dori is a 1.5-kilometre avenue with a wide central median planted with zelkova trees that form a continuous canopy overhead. During the Pageant of Starlight, the LED lights are strung through the entire canopy, illuminating the street from above. The lights are switched on at 5:30pm each evening and remain lit until 11pm. Walking the full length of the avenue takes approximately 20-30 minutes at a comfortable pace; most visitors walk it multiple times, with the street at its most photogenic in the first hour after switching on.

Several restaurants and cafes along Jozenji-dori set up outdoor seating and heating during the event, making the street a comfortable place to linger even in December temperatures that average around 1-5°C. The Sendai Mediatheque building, designed by architect Toyo Ito and situated along the route, is open throughout the event and worth visiting in its own right.

Getting There

Sendai is on the Tohoku Shinkansen from Tokyo (approximately 1 hour 40 minutes by Hayabusa). From Sendai Station, the Jozenji-dori avenue is a 10-minute walk west, or served by the Tozai Line subway (one stop to Kotodai-koen). December flights into Sendai Airport from Tokyo are an alternative for those combining the Pageant of Starlight with a broader Tohoku itinerary. See our Sendai guide for accommodation options.

Tips

The final days of December (27-31) coincide with New Year preparations, when Sendai city centre is busy with shoppers and visitors. The quietest period is the middle two weeks of December. Weekends throughout the event are busier than weekdays; arriving at 5:30pm when the lights switch on gives the most dramatic first impression. Carry a warm layer: December in Sendai can include light snow, and wind along the avenue feels colder than the thermometer suggests.