This translation was prepared with AI assistance and reviewed by the editorial team.
Kikai Yako turns the historic Ohana residence in Yanagawa into a lantern-lit world of local legends and yokai. The 2026 edition combines Yame lantern craft, an Edo-period monster scroll from the Tachibana family and satellite displays around the canal town. It is a night event rather than a haunted-house attraction, so the appeal is atmosphere, art and history.
- Six nights: August 13–16 and August 21–22, 2026
- Open 18:00–21:00; last admission 20:30
- Main venue: Ohana and the Tachibana Museum
- Ohana parking is reserved for overnight guests
The official event page and the Japanese source were checked on July 31, 2026. Boat reservations and the night-market vendor list may change.
Dates, venue and admission
| Item | 2026 information |
|---|---|
| Dates | Aug 13–16 and Aug 21–22 |
| Hours | 18:00–21:00; last entry 20:30 |
| Adult | ¥1,800 |
| High school | ¥1,000 |
| Elementary/junior high | ¥500 |
| Preschool | Free |
What to see at Ohana
The centerpiece is a lantern installation across Ohana’s large 100-tatami hall. Works by the long-established Ito Gonjiro lantern workshop share the space with new and previously unshown pieces, using warm light rather than jump scares.
The Tachibana Museum displays the three-volume Geishu Butayu Monogatari Emaki, a late-Edo scroll based on the Ino Mononoke Roku story of a boy confronting strange beings for thirty nights. Visitors can enjoy the imagery even without reading every Japanese caption.
Satellite venues and the reserved boat
Mihashira Shrine and the Kitahara Hakushu Birthplace act as satellite venues. Admission to the Hakushu Birthplace is separate: ¥800 for high-school age and older, ¥500 for elementary and junior-high students, and free for preschool children.
A reserved boat links the Mihashira Shrine area and Ohana through Yanagawa’s canals. The listed departures are 17:40, 18:10 and 18:40, with a ride of about 70 minutes. Reserve through the official event information; do not arrive expecting a walk-up seat.
Access and parking
Ohana is at 1 Shinhokamachi, Yanagawa. Its on-site parking is for staying guests, so day visitors arriving by car should use a nearby paid lot. Check the final train or bus before entering because the exhibition ends at night.
If using public transport, keep the venue’s Japanese name and address on your phone. The satellite sites are spread across town, so trying to see all three plus the boat in one evening requires a timed route rather than casual wandering.
Language, timing and family notes
Explanations and booking screens may be mainly in Japanese. A translation app helps with the scroll story, while the lantern installations themselves are highly visual. Save confirmation emails and screenshots before traveling.
The night market at Ohana is planned, but the vendor list was still awaiting announcement at the time of checking. Treat food as an addition, not the only dinner plan. Families should also note the late finish, summer heat and dark paths around the canal area.
Build a Yanagawa day trip
A comfortable plan is a daytime canal cruise and seiro-mushi eel meal, followed by a break before Kikai Yako. Visitors focused on photography can arrive near opening; those adding the reserved boat must build the evening around its departure.
Do not overfill the itinerary. Ohana and the museum are the core experience; add one satellite venue if transport or young children make the full circuit difficult.
