The Nagatoro Wintersweet Festival in 2026

The Nagatoro Wintersweet Festival, one of only a handful of wintersweet festivals in the Kanto region (Greater Tokyo area), starts tomorrow. That is, February 1st 2026. It is the latest start to the festival in recent years. It will run until the 28th of February 2026. It is on at the wintersweet garden at the top of Mt Hodo.

Apart from being later than normal to start this year, there is another big change. That is, this year there will be no light up. In the past they have lit the trees up at night and run the cable car until later to facilitate night viewing. They don't say why, but unfortunately, they will have neither this year. 

I have been to this 'festival' in the past. It is not a festival in the typical sense. A flower festival often just refers to the period of bloom of a flower. They may have a couple of stalls though. However, it is not a large festival. But the scenery is breathtaking and the smell of the wintersweet is divine. Here are the details for the location, Hodosan Wintersweet Garden, on City-cost.