As August draws to a close, Nagasaki is entering a transitional season: summer exhibitions and nighttime events are winding down, while a wave of regional autumn festivals is beginning across the prefecture. Events of varying scale and character are taking place not only in Nagasaki City but also in Sasebo, Unzen, Shimabara, Hasami, Matsuura, and the Goto Islands.
This article leaves the details of each event to the listing below, and instead focuses on understanding what kind of season this is in Nagasaki and how to choose among the options. Schedules can shift, so please always check the exact dates listed for the event closest to your travel date.
For visitors from outside the prefecture or overseas, one notable feature is that traditional events such as Nagasaki Kunchi (長崎くんち) and Shoryo Nagashi (精霊流し) coexist in the same region as large-scale theme park programs at Huis Ten Bosch (ハウステンボス). Use this as a reference when deciding where and when to base your visit.
Understanding the Range of Events
Events in Nagasaki during this period fall roughly into three groups. The first includes longer-running programs such as exhibitions at the Nagasaki Prefectural Art Museum and seasonal events at Huis Ten Bosch (ハウステンボス), which are less dependent on a specific date or weather. The second group consists of shorter local festivals centered on food and port-town culture, such as のもざき伊勢エビまつり (a lobster festival) and させぼシーサイドフェスティバル (a seaside festival in Sasebo). The third group covers large autumn events rooted in traditional performing arts and local rites, such as 長崎くんち (Nagasaki Kunchi), させぼくんち (Sasebo Kunchi), and 松浦水軍まつり (a festival themed on the historic Matsuura Suigun naval clan).
From September through November, events with distinct characters continue nearly every weekend, including 長崎居留地まつり (a festival themed on Nagasaki's former foreign settlement), 長崎郷土芸能大会 (a gathering of local folk performing arts), a rice-terrace festival, and pottery fairs. If you plan to combine several events in one trip, checking the geographic distance between host areas (Nagasaki City, Sasebo City, Unzen City, Hasami Town, and others) on a map in advance will make planning your route easier.
On now5
ExhibitionsLast dayJul 11 – Aug 30
長崎県美術館「レオ・レオーニと仲間たち」
An art exhibition on picture-book author Leo Lionni (known for Swimmy) and related artists. Good for families and picture-book fans.
Nature & seasonsToday onlyAug 30
涼しい！雲仙森あそび博
A nature-experience event at Unzen's Byakuunnoike campsite, offering pack rafting, tree climbing, and other cool-highland activities. Good for outdoor-minded families.
FamilyJul 17 – Sep 13
【ハウステンボス】RIDE ON SUMMER 26！
A summer event at Huis Ten Bosch theme park featuring collaboration attractions and a new pool area. Suited to families and young visitors.
Nature & seasonsAug 22 – Sep 30
針尾送信所ライトアップ・夜間公開
A special nighttime lighting and viewing event for the three towering radio towers of Hario Radio Station, a modern heritage site. Appeals to history and architecture fans.
Nature & seasonsJul 17 – Oct 31
グラバー園ランタンナイト
An evening event at Glover Garden where historic Western-style buildings are lit up with numerous lanterns and illuminations, paired with Nagasaki's night view.
Coming up23
Food & marketsSep 1 – Sep 30
のもざき伊勢エビまつり
A month-long food promotion in the Nomozaki area where participating restaurants serve dishes using local spiny lobster. For seafood lovers.
Festivals & ritesSep 5 – Sep 6
させぼシーサイドフェスティバル
A two-day festival at Sasebo City General Ground featuring fireworks, stage performances, and food stalls. Suited to fireworks fans and families.
Festivals & ritesSep 7 – Sep 9
中国盆会
A traditional Buddhist memorial ceremony held over three days at Sofuku-ji temple, rooted in the lunar calendar. Of interest to those exploring local history and culture.
Festivals & ritesSep 19 – Sep 20
【2026】のんのこいさはやまつり
A community-wide festival in Isahaya where participants parade through town clapping plates, alongside traditional performing arts. For those interested in local traditions.
Festivals & ritesSep 19 – Sep 21
長崎居留地まつり
A festival with varied events held across the former foreign settlement areas of Higashiyamate, Minamiyamate, and Oura. Good for those enjoying a stroll through Nagasaki's exotic historic streets.
Nature & seasonsSep 20
【2026】鬼木棚田まつり
A festival held amid the golden rice terraces and red spider lilies of Oniki, with over 100 scarecrow displays. Ideal for enjoying autumn rural scenery.
Festivals & ritesSep 26 – Sep 27
福江みなとまつり
A harbor festival in Fukue featuring giant neputa floats themed on Goto's history and folklore, plus drumming and fireworks. A lively local cultural experience.
Theatre & stageSep 27
長崎郷土芸能大会
An event gathering various local folk performing arts, such as furyu dances, from around Nagasaki beyond the famous Kunchi festival. Good for comparing regional traditions in one place.
Festivals & ritesOct 7 – Oct 9
【2026】長崎くんち
Nagasaki's major autumn festival at Suwa Shrine, featuring dedicatory dances (Hono-odori) with over 380 years of history. Each participating town performs once every seven years.
Theatre & stageOct 14 – Oct 15
竹ン芸
A traditional acrobatic performance dedicated at Wakamiya Inari Shrine's autumn festival, where performers dressed as foxes do daring stunts atop tall bamboo poles.
Festivals & ritesOct 16 – Oct 18
YOSAKOIさせぼ祭り
A YOSAKOI dance festival with performances across central Sasebo, centered on Sasebo Chuo Park. Features energetic dancing with naruko clappers.
Food & marketsOct 17 – Oct 18
島原城大手門市
A market event around Shimabara City Hall's Ote Plaza, with local specialty stalls, food vendors, and a flea market. Good for shopping and casual food browsing.
WorkshopsOct 24 – Oct 25
中尾山秋陶めぐり
A pottery-town walking event among the kiln workshops of Nakaoyama in Hasami, offering a quieter autumn atmosphere to browse ceramics and meet potters.
Festivals & ritesOct 24 – Oct 25
松浦水軍まつり
Matsuura's largest festival, honoring the historic Matsuura clan naval forces with a warrior parade and stage performances. For history and pageantry fans.
Festivals & ritesOct 31
とぎつ夏まつり
A community festival in Togitsu, normally held in summer but shifted to autumn in 2026, featuring stage events, local performing arts, food stalls, and fireworks.
Food & marketsOct 31 – Nov 3
HASAMI no WA
An autumn outdoor event in Hasami where pottery kilns and food stalls gather; browse Hasami-yaki ceramics, join workshops, and enjoy a picnic-like atmosphere.
Festivals & ritesNov 1 – Nov 3
させぼくんち
An autumn festival at Kameyama Hachimangu Shrine in Sasebo, featuring a traditional mikoshi (portable shrine) procession with lion dances and dedicated dances parading through the streets.
Nature & seasonsNov 6 – Feb 25
【ハウステンボス】ザ・スターライト・ミリオン
A major renewal of Huis Ten Bosch's illumination display, running alongside a Christmas event, offering an extended period to view large-scale light decorations.
Festivals & ritesNov 14
【ハウステンボス】九州一 大花火まつり
A one-day large-scale fireworks display at Huis Ten Bosch, synchronized with music and set against the park's illuminated night scenery.
Festivals & ritesNov 21 – Nov 22
SASEBO JAM FESTIVAL
A two-day festival in Sasebo combining live music, food stalls, and family-friendly entertainment such as character shows and games.
ExhibitionsDec 25 – Feb 28
特別企画展「ポケモン天文台」
A science exhibition combining Pokémon characters with astronomy, featuring real space artifacts and JAXA-related displays, suitable for families with children.
Festivals & ritesFeb 5 – Feb 21
2027長崎ランタンフェスティバル
A winter festival lighting up central Nagasaki with thousands of Chinese lanterns, each area featuring different color themes to stroll through.
Festivals & ritesAug 15
精霊流し
A traditional Nagasaki event held every August 15th, where families pull handmade boats through the streets to send off the spirits of the deceased, with each boat uniquely decorated.
Event data and photos from: ながさき旅ネット（長崎県観光連盟）. Descriptions are written by us, not copied. Please confirm dates and prices on each official page.
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Sources (official)
Fares and times below were checked on the date shown. Always confirm on the official sites before travelling.