NEWS
- 2026.09.01
- The official website for the "Himeji Castle and Otemae-dori Atarayo Magical Nighttime Illumination" event has been launched.
About Atarayo
Atarayo is a project to create fresh value in Himeji with a nighttime metamorphosis
that deeply touches people’s minds and hearts.
Atarayo is a unique, native-Japanese word meaning “a night so beautiful that one regrets the dawn.” The word appears in the Man’yoshu, a collection of poems from the 8th century. Atarayo aims to create a night of such lingering memories that visitors will fondly recall the shining white form of Himeji Castle and wish that night of Saiun, the many-colored clouds, could go on forever.
This year, under the direction of world-renowned lighting designer Motoko Ishii, the project area was festooned with 510,000 full-color LEDs, synchronized with the light display of Himeji Castle in a shimmering spectacle of consummate harmony.
- Exhibition schedule
- ◇Days of illumination: From Friday, November 20, 2026 to Monday, January 11, 2027
◇Hours of illumination: From 5 PM to 10 PM daily （planned） - Admission
- Free
- Location
- temae-dori （from Himeji Station to Himeji Castle）
Atarayo Dream Mirror:Sannomaru Square, Himeji Castle
Winding route from dusk to dawn:Himeyama Park area （near Himeji Castle）
Himeji Himeji Castle and Otemae-dori Atarayo
Highlight
Nighttime stroll from Himeji Station to Himeyama Park （near Himeji Castle）
and Sannomaru Square of Himeji Castle. Total distance is about 2.5 km.
Past events
List of corporate sponsors
Coming soon
Click on each point to view the details.