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Christmas Advent Guide

Christmas Advent Guide

The countdown to Christmas has begun! The weeks leading up to the holiday (starting four Sundays before December 25 and continuing until Christmas Eve) are a time to embrace the festive spirit. Known as the Christmas Advent, this period is all about preparing for the big day while immersing yourself in the warmth and joy of the season.

During this magical time, Fukuoka glows with illuminations and Christmas markets, creating a heartwarming atmosphere for visitors and locals alike. These events are held with the hope that everyone in the city can enjoy each day as a special occasion in the lead-up to Christmas.

The Fukuoka Christmas Market began 12 years ago and has since become a beloved winter tradition. Starting with venues in Hakata, Tenjin, and Nakasu, it has expanded year by year, connecting neighborhoods with a tapestry of lights. This year, the market extends to new locations in Momochihama and Kitakyushu, all with the ambitious goal of becoming “The Best Christmas City in the World.”

This Year’s Theme: “Five Senses Christmas”

Under the theme of “Five Senses Christmas,” each venue will offer unique experiences that engage your senses through the three pillars of light, sound, and art.

Chiristmas Advent
Experience the magic at all 10 venues through Dec. 25 (Wed). (Details of venue)
Official website: Christmas Advent
Official Instagram:@fukuoka.christmasadvent

Highlight of 2024: The Free Christmas Circus Show!

This year’s centerpiece event is a spectacular circus show, held for the first time at the “Hikari no Forest” in Tenjin Chuo Park. Featuring performers from Japan and abroad, the show invites you into a dreamlike world with breathtaking acrobatics, enchanting pantomime, and magical storytelling.

Directed by Mizuki Shinagawa, a world-renowned aerial artist and a member of Japan’s pioneering circus company CIRQUEWORK, this show promises to delight audiences of all ages.

Christmas Circus REVERIE
• 11/28 (Thu.) ~ 12/28 (Wed.) *canceled in case of rain
• 18:20~ and 20:20~ on each day (about 30 minutes each)
• Closed: every Mon.
• Tenjin Chuo Park Special Stage
• More Info: Christmas Circus REVERIE

A Fukuoka Christmas Market staple! The Mug

Each year, a limited-edition collection of mugs is released, featuring seven unique designs that change annually. The designs vary by venue, making them highly sought after by collectors who return year after year to complete their sets. Among these, the special “Rainy Day Mug,” available only on rainy days, is a fan favorite. This year, exclusive designs will also be available at the newly added Momochihama and Kitakyushu venues, offering even more opportunities to snag a unique piece of this cherished collection!

Rainy Day Mug
Designed by the up-and-coming artist Chisato Tanaka, known for the mural at the Fukuoka Art Museum. Sold only on rainy weekdays.
• ¥1,500 each (mug only)
• Available at Tenjin, Tenjin Chuo Park, and Kihinkan venues

A signature feature of the Christmas market is the hot wine poured into original mugs, whose design changes each year at every venue. At each site, lined with wooden huts, visitors can enjoy foods like twirled sausages and paella, or shop for European-made goods such as snowballs and spice wreaths.

Details of venue

Christmas Market in Hikari no Machi Hakata
• 11/1 (Fri.) ~ 12/25 (Wed.)
• 16:45~23:00 (Sat., Sun, hol., 12:00~23:00) *from 12/1, all days from 12:00~23:00
• 1-1 Hakataeki-Chuogai, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka JR Hakata Station Plaza

Tenjin Christmas Market
• 11/16 (Sat.) ~ 12/25 (Wed.) *Not open on 11/23 and 11/24 due to another event.
• 17:00~23:00 (Sat., Sun. and hol., 12:00~23:00)
• 1-8-1 Tenjin, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka Fukuoka City Hall Fureai Plaza

Tenjin Christmas Market, 天神クリスマスマーケット

Christmas Market in Passage
• 11/15 (Fri.) ~ 12/25 (Wed.)
• 16:00~21:00 (Sat., Sun. and hol., 12:00~21:00)
• 1-4-1 Tenjin, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka Passage Plaza, Fukuoka Daimaru Elgala

Christmas Market in Passage, クリスマスマーケットエルガーラパサージュ広場

Christmas Gate Park in Fukuoka Daimyo Garden City
• 11/15 (Fri.) ~ 12/25 (Wed.)
• 17:00~22:00 (Sat., Sun. and hol., 12:00~22:00)
• 2-6-50 Daimyo, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka Fukuoka Daimyo Garden City Plaza

Hikari no Forest
• 11/14 (Thu.) ~ 12/25 (Wed.)
• 17:00~22:00 (Sat., Sun. and hol., 12:00~22:00) *Illumination will be on until 1/6.
• 1-1 Tenjin, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka Tenjin Chuo Park

Festa de Santa
• 11/13 (Wed.) ~ 12/25 (Wed.)
• 17:00~22:00 (Sat., Sun. and hol., 12:00~22:00) *Illumination will be on until 1/6.
• 6-29 Nishinakasu, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka Kihinkan Hall

Festa de Santa, フェスタ・デ・サンタ