2026 Nishihirabatake Park Matsuda Kirakira Festa: A Full-Day Course

A day to enjoy the Matsuda Kirakira Festa, held at Nishihirabatake Park on the slope of Mt. Matsuda overlooking the Ashigara Plain. It is typically held from late November to December 31 each year; last year it ran from November 29 to December 31, 2025, with lights on every night from December 23 onward (the 2026-27 schedule has not been announced yet, so please check official sources). In the early afternoon, visit Samuta Shrine, an old shrine in Matsuda Town, then stop by Ashigari-go Seto Yashiki, a 300-year-old thatched-roof farmhouse in neighboring Kaisei Town. In the evening, head to Nishihirabatake Park. The hilltop park is wrapped in illuminations, and beyond the lights spreads the night view of the Ashigara Plain, a sight only possible with a mountain illumination. Based on last year's rates, admission was 500 yen for ages 18 and up, 100 yen for ages 12 to under 18, and free for children under 12 and town residents. Winter nights on the mountain get cold, so dress warmly.