Takasaki Pageant of Starlight in 2025

Of all the illumination displays I've seen over the years, one that stands out in my memory is the "Takasaki Pagent of Starlight" in Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture. I have not yet been in 2025, but I am sharing the information for the event for anyone looking for a nice, free illumination display in Gunma Prefecture. 

The illumination is on Symphony Road and the site of the old Takasaki Castle by the Takasaki City Hall. The element of this illumination I particularly love is the lights suspended over the river in the little park on the grounds of the old Takasaki Castle. In 2025, the illumination got switched on particularly early, on Halloween Night, October 31st, but it will be on nightly until Sunday March 1st 2026. Lights are switched on nightly at 5 pm until 11 pm, except in December when they are on from 4 pm to midnight.

There is no official parking for this event. There are several parking lots in the area, the majority of which are charged. I park at the underground parking at the City Hall, it is 150 yen an hour for night time hours, but the first hour is free. If you are coming by train you can walk or get a bus from Takasaki Station. Takasaki station is served by the Joetsu and Hokuriku bullet trains as well as several other local trains such as the Takasaki line and Shonan Shinjuku line that also connect Takasaki with Tokyo.