Uesugi Snow Lantern Festival

Festival highlights

The highlight is the nighttime scenery, where candlelight contrasts with the whiteness of the snow.

Snow lanterns about the height of a person and around 1,000 snow lanterns with candles add color to the venue, alongside imaginative snow sculptures and a candle zone.

The Requiem Ceremony also includes an offering of lights at a tower made of snow.

Source: 東北最大級の雪まつり”上杉雪灯篭まつり”／米沢市

Yonezawa's winter, where snow lanterns and candlelight convey remembrance

What to expect

At the venue, snow lanterns and snow sculptures are made by shaping and compacting snow, then carving it into the form of lanterns.

Stage events and other activities take place during the day, and candles are lit in the snow lanterns and snow lanterns with candles from dusk.

The Requiem Ceremony and the Tent Village Market, where winter foods come together, are also part of the festival program.

How to take part

There are ways to take part in making snow lanterns and sculptures, rather than simply viewing them.

People who are not residents of Yonezawa City can also make snow lanterns. The process takes at least 2 days, including building the mold and carving.

The guide describes an experience in which you light the lantern you made yourself, helping create part of the festival grounds’ scenery.

If you would like to make a snow lantern, check the snow lantern-making guide and apply.

There is also a dedicated guide for creating original snow sculptures.

Making one takes at least 2 days, including building the mold and carving, so anyone hoping to create one—not just visit—needs to prepare early.

Location and access

Venue and address

Uesugi Shrine grounds and the area around Matsugasaki Park (Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture).

Train and bus

The area around the venue gets crowded, so use of shuttle buses and public transportation is recommended.

By car

The area around the venue gets crowded.

Parking

The Omatsuri Hiroba parking lot is unavailable to regular vehicles during the festival.

Address Uesugi Shrine grounds and the area around Matsugasaki Park, Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture

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Dates and season

2026 Event Information (the dates listed have passed)

The 2026 event was scheduled for February 14 (Sat) and 15 (Sun).

It is usually held on the 2nd Saturday and 2nd Sunday of February.

Candles are lit in the snow lanterns and snow lanterns with candles at night, while stage events and other activities take place during the day.

Accommodation and hotels PR

Tips for your visit

The venue is an outdoor winter space where you walk on snow, and the main highlight is the evening illumination.

If you plan to take your time viewing the snow lanterns and snow lanterns with candles, wear clothing suited to the ground conditions and cold.

The area around the venue gets crowded during the festival, and the Omatsuri Hiroba parking lot is unavailable to regular vehicles, so check your transportation options in advance.

Nearby attractions

Near the venue are Uesugi Shrine, Yonezawa Castle Ruins and Matsugasaki Park, and Denkoku no Mori Yonezawa City Uesugi Museum.

Uesugi Shrine is described as enshrining Uesugi Kenshin, while Matsugasaki Park is introduced as a place that evokes the former Yonezawa Castle.

You can combine a visit to the festival with facilities in the same Uesugi cultural district.

Temples and shrinesYonezawa City

上杉神社

山形県米沢市にある神社

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写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)

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Museums and art museumsYonezawa City

宮坂考古館

山形県米沢市にある博物館

Visit the official page ↗ⓘ Photo and data sources

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写真：Abasaa / Public domain(resized and reformatted)

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Temples and shrinesYonezawa City

松岬神社

山形県米沢市に鎮座する神社

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写真：Bakkai / CC BY 3.0

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Museums and art museumsYonezawa City

米沢市上杉博物館

山形県米沢市にある博物館

Visit the official page ↗ⓘ Photo and data sources

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写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)

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Attractions in the same municipality. Check each attraction’s official website for travel distances from the venue and current opening information.

Origins and History of Uesugi Snow Lantern Festival

The festival's origins date back to a snow-viewing gathering in the winter of 1977.

Of 7 people who found beauty in Yonezawa's snow, 1 stuck a candle in the snow. Moved by the sight, they organized a gathering and invited the townspeople.

The festival then brought together enjoyment of life in a snowy region and remembrance for those who died in war, and its 1st edition was held in 1978.

Official information

Official information is available on the Uesugi Snow Lantern Festival official website.

Information about the 2026 event dates and venue is also posted on Yamagata Prefecture's official tourism website.

The phone number for the Uesugi Snow Lantern Festival Executive Committee is also provided as a contact.

Uesugi Snow Lantern Festival at a Glance

The Uesugi Snow Lantern Festival is a winter festival that layers candlelight over Yonezawa's snowy scenery and conveys a wish for remembrance.

Snow lanterns, snow lanterns with candles, snow sculptures, and a candle zone fill the venue, with activities to enjoy from daytime events through the evening illumination.

The 2026 event was scheduled for February 14 and 15, at Uesugi Shrine and throughout Matsugasaki Park.