This guide lists 10 events in Yamaguchi Prefecture from October 31 to November 28, 2026: festivals, a candlelight walk, a factory-night walk and a food fair. For each one it gives the dates, times, cost, how to get there and parking, as published by the organizers or the local tourism associations. All facts were checked on October 5, 2026. Several organizers had not yet published times or prices, and where that is the case this guide says “Not stated”. The official pages are in Japanese.
In short
- The weekend of November 14 and 15 has events in three cities: Hofu, Yanai and Hagi. On November 15, Hagi holds two events.
- Free to enter, according to the Yamaguchi tourism site: Yurameki Corridor (Oct 31 to Nov 1), Ube Festival (Nov 1), Hagi Jidai Festival (Nov 15) and the Hofu Tenmangu festival (Nov 28).
- The Shunan factory-night walk on November 22 is fully booked as of October 5. The next date, December 12, is open for sign-up.
- Dates, times and prices can change. Check the organizer’s page before you go.
Checked with official pages on October 5, 2026.
1. All 10 events at a glance
Depends on the organizer
Each event has its own organizer, so cost and parking rules differ. The list is in date order.
| Event | City | Date | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yurameki Corridor | Yamaguchi | Oct 31 and Nov 1 | Free to enter |
| Ube Festival | Ube | Nov 1 | Free |
| Kaikyo Gourmet Fes | Shimonoseki | Nov 7 and 8 | Not stated |
| Yanai Okashi Matsuri | Yanai | Nov 13 to 15 | Buffet from ¥800 |
| Sugoizo Hofu | Hofu | Nov 14 and 15 | Not stated |
| Hagi Furusato Festival | Hagi | Nov 14 and 15 | Not stated |
| Hagi Jidai Festival | Hagi | Nov 15 | Free |
| Factory Night Walk | Shunan | Nov 22 (full) | ¥1,000 |
| Little Busan Festa | Shimonoseki | Nov 23 | Not stated |
| Hadakabo Festival | Hofu | Nov 28 | Free |
2. What is each event like?
2.1 Yamaguchi Yurameki Corridor (山口ゆらめき回廊), Yamaguchi City
Depends on the organizer
About 1,000 candles are lit at Kozan Park (香山公園), where the National Treasure Five-Story Pagoda of Rurikoji Temple stands. It runs from 17:30 to 20:00 on Saturday, October 31 and Sunday, November 1, and entry is free. The city of Yamaguchi organizes it, and the NPO Oji Lobby (大路ロビー) runs it. It may be cancelled in rain.
- Concerts at 18:00 and 19:30 in the Mangetsu garden (満月の庭), free seating. October 31: a Tsugaru flute performance by Matsumura (松村寧) and Shishinokai (四志乃会). November 1: the Noriko Kodama Duo.
- Candle-lighting experience both days from 18:00 at the headquarters area. First 200 people, one candle each.
- Tea gathering (灯り茶会) on October 31 from 17:30 (sign-in from 17:00) near Rozando: ¥1,000 for adults and ¥500 for junior high school students and younger, with matcha and a Japanese sweet.
Getting there: about 15 minutes by community bus from JR Yamaguchi Station to “Kozan Koen Goju-no-to mae” (香山公園五重塔前), then a short walk. By car it is about 15 minutes from Yamaguchi IC. The tourism site says the Yamaguchi Prefectural Office car park can also be used on the day, and that a free shuttle bus is planned only for guests staying at Yuda Onsen hot-spring inns and hotels. Questions: Oji Lobby, 083-920-9220 (10:00 to 17:00, closed Tuesdays). Kozan Park: 山口市香山町7-1. Google Maps.
2.2 Ube Festival (宇部まつり), Ube City
Depends on the organizer
The 75th Ube Festival marks the 105th anniversary of Ube City. It is on Sunday, November 1 from 10:30 to 16:00. Parades on Tokiwa-dori (11:00 to 16:00, planned) include the Nanban Ondo dance parade (南蛮音頭), a citizens’ parade, a Yosakoi parade and hikiyama floats. The organizer says coal rice cakes (石炭餅) will be offered. The main stage is at the City Hall flat car park, and the Ube Marche market is at MUCC Cement Exchange Plaza from 10:30 to 16:00. The organizer says street performances will be held in a different place from past years because road-closure areas changed.
The Yamaguchi tourism site says entry is free, the nearest station is JR Kotoshiba on the Ube Line (7 minutes on foot), and temporary car parks are available. Questions: Ube Festival Executive Committee, 0836-34-2050.
2.3 Shimonoseki Kaikyo Gourmet Fes 2026 (しものせき海響グルメフェス), Shimonoseki City
Depends on the organizer
A food event using ingredients from Shimonoseki. It runs on Saturday, November 7 and Sunday, November 8 from 11:00 to 15:00, with a night food fair from 15:00 to 20:00 on November 7 only. The venue is the Aubision Kaikyo Yume Plaza (オーヴィジョン海峡ゆめ広場) next to Kaikyo Yume Tower (3-chome, Buzenda, Shimonoseki). The official site says the venue is a 2-minute walk from the “Kaikyokan-mae” (海響館前) Sanden Kotsu bus stop and about 15 minutes by car from Shimonoseki IC. Admission and parking fees are not stated on the pages we read. Questions: Shimonoseki City Industrial Promotion Division, 083-231-1220.
2.4 Kashinoki Thanks Factory Festival, Yanai Okashi Matsuri 2026 (柳井お菓子まつり), Yanai City
Depends on the organizer
The sweet maker Kashinoki (果子乃季) holds this factory festival at its head store, from Friday, November 13 to Sunday, November 15. The Yamaguchi tourism site lists:
- Autumn sweets buffet: ¥1,800 for the general public, ¥1,300 for elementary school students and ¥800 for ages 3 and up. The page says students get 10% off from 14:00 every day.
- Friday, November 13: anko-scooping game (¥450 per try) and the “mochi and moon-egg” scattering.
- Saturday, November 14: mochi pounding, and a 90-second cookie-grab challenge (S ¥400, M ¥600, L ¥1,000).
- Sunday, November 15: an autumn stage with sweets, and the mochi scattering again.
The tourism page recommends the shuttle bus because the event is crowded, and refers to a flyer image for details. We did not read the flyer image, so this guide does not give opening hours, shuttle times or parking numbers. The head store is at 山口県柳井市柳井5275, about 5 minutes by car from JR Yanai Station and about 15 minutes by car from Kuga IC. Google Maps. Questions: Asahi Seika, 0820-22-0757.
2.5 “Sugoizo Hofu” Autumn Event (「すごいぞ！防府」秋の大イベント), Hofu City
Depends on the organizer
This is a two-day event on Saturday, November 14 and Sunday, November 15, from 10:00 to 15:00. Its venues are Hofu Tenmangu Shrine, Suo Kokubunji Temple, the former Mori family residence and gardens, and Higashi-Todaiji Betsuin Amidaji Temple. The tourism site lists a giant karuta card tournament and VR experience at Hofu Tenmangu, a local-food festival and a local-produce market at Suo Kokubunji, a bread and sweets market at the Mori garden, and a film screening at Amidaji. Cost and parking are not stated on the pages we read. The executive committee office is DERESI Inc., 083-902-0892.
2.6 Hagi Furusato Festival 2026 (萩ふるさとまつり), Hagi City
Depends on the organizer
An industry fair for Hagi’s products on Saturday, November 14 and Sunday, November 15 from 10:00 to 15:00. The venues are Chuo Park (中央公園), the Hagi Civic Hall and the Hagi General Welfare Center. The Hagi tourism association lists food and goods booths, exhibits, stage performances, and mochi and snack scattering. To mark 10 years of friendship with Ishinomaki City, singer Hiroshi Kitadani and singer Masaaki Endo will perform live.
The Yamaguchi tourism site lists parking at the Hagi City Hall No. 3 car park and the Hagi Meirin Center car park. By bus, it is 60 minutes from Shin-Yamaguchi Station (Super Hagi-go, get off at “Hagi Meirin Center”), or 21 minutes by bus from JR Higashi-Hagi Station (the Hagi loop bus, west route). The pages do not state the admission fee. Questions: the Hagi Furusato Festival Executive Committee, 0838-25-3638. Chuo Park: 山口県萩市江向552-2. Google Maps.
2.7 Hagi Jidai Festival (萩時代まつり), Hagi City
Depends on the organizer
On Sunday, November 15, the Hagi Daimyo Procession (萩大名行列) walks through the castle town, and an afternoon Jidai Parade follows. The Hagi tourism association gives this schedule:
- About 7:30: the procession leaves near Heian Bridge.
- About 10:00: Hagi Museum. About 10:30: Tamachi shopping street.
- 11:30: gunnery demonstration by the Iwakuni Domain Musket Corps, at Chuo Park.
- 12:20: performers are introduced at Chuo Park. 13:00: the Jidai Parade leaves the Omotocho intersection for Kanaya Shrine.
Entry is free, according to the Yamaguchi tourism site. It lists temporary and paid car parks nearby. Large buses use the Chuo Park car park (10 spaces, ¥1,050 per use). Chuo Park is about a 10-minute walk from Hagi Bus Center. Questions: the Hagi Jidai Festival Executive Committee, 0838-25-3139.
2.8 Setouchi Galaxy: Shunan Factory Night Walk (周南工場夜景ナイトウォーク), Shunan City
Depends on the organizer
A guided walk of about 120 minutes to see the industrial night view of Shunan. The route runs from the Machi no Port tourist information center (周南市みなみ銀座1-26) through Tokuyama Port Town, the observation deck of the Tokuyama Port Building (opened specially, as it is normally closed at night), and Harumi Shinsui Park, and ends at JR Tokuyama Station. Shunan City says the walk is part of the Yamaguchi Destination Campaign.
The November 22 walk (meeting at 17:00) is full, and applications closed on October 5. The December 12 walk (Saturday, 17:00) was still taking applications. The fee is ¥1,000 per person, and children under elementary school age are free. Capacity is about 20 people, first come first served, and the walk is cancelled if fewer than 5 people sign up. Participants aged 15 or younger need a parent or guardian. In rain, the walk is cancelled, and the city decides by 15:00 on the day. Apply through the form on the city’s page. You get a souvenir and an original novelty. Questions: Shunan City Tourism Promotion Division, 0834-22-8372.
2.9 Little Busan Festa 2026 (リトル釜山フェスタ), Shimonoseki City
Depends on the organizer
The Yamaguchi tourism site says Shimonoseki and Busan are sister cities, and the Green Mall shopping street north of JR Shimonoseki Station sells Korean food and goods. The festa is on Monday, November 23 (a national holiday, Labor Thanksgiving Day) at the Green Mall. The venue is a 2-minute walk from the east exit of JR Shimonoseki Station. Its hours and content were not published on the pages we read, so check with the organizer, the Little Busan Festa Executive Committee (JOIN083 at Daimaru Shimonoseki), 083-227-4404.
2.10 Hofu Tenmangu Gojinko Festival, “Hadakabo” (防府天満宮御神幸祭 裸坊祭), Hofu City
Depends on the organizer
The 1,023rd Gojinko Festival is on Saturday, November 28 at Hofu Tenmangu Shrine. About 5,000 white-robed “hadakabo” take part in this rough festival, shouting “Kyodai washoi!”, according to the Yamaguchi tourism site. The site says a 500-kg portable shrine slides down the 58 stone steps. Entry is free. The tourism site says parking is available, but buses need a reservation in advance, and there are traffic restrictions on the day. From JR Hofu Station it is about a 20-minute walk. By car, it is about 10 minutes from Hofu-Higashi IC or Hofu-Nishi IC. Hofu Tenmangu: 防府市松崎町14-1. Google Maps. Phone: 0835-23-7700.
3. What should I check before I go?
Depends on the organizer
Rain. The Yurameki Corridor may be cancelled in rain, and the Shunan walk is cancelled in rain, with a decision by 15:00 that day. For the others, check the organizer’s page.
Getting there. Most venues are easiest by car or bus. Hagi events are 60 minutes by bus from Shin-Yamaguchi Station, and the Ube Festival is a 7-minute walk from Kotoshiba Station. For the Hadakabo festival, remember the traffic restrictions.
Mochi scattering. The Hagi Furusato Festival and the Yanai Okashi Matsuri list mochi scattering. The Ube Festival has coal rice cakes.
4. Common questions
Which events are free?
The Yamaguchi tourism site lists free entry for Yurameki Corridor, the Ube Festival, the Hagi Jidai Festival and the Hadakabo festival. Yanai Okashi Matsuri charges for the sweets buffet and some games. The Shunan walk costs ¥1,000. For the other events, the pages we read do not state a fee.
Can I still join the November 22 night walk in Shunan?
No. Shunan City says applications for the November 22 walk closed on October 5 because it reached capacity. The December 12 walk was still open.
Sources (checked October 5, 2026)
- Oji Lobby: Yamaguchi Yurameki Corridor 2026 and Yamaguchi tourism site
- Ube Festival official site and tourism site
- Shimonoseki Kaikyo Gourmet Fes official site and tourism site
- Yamaguchi tourism site: Yanai Okashi Matsuri 2026
- Sugoizo Hofu official site and tourism site
- Hagi tourism association: Hagi Furusato Festival, Hagi Jidai Festival, tourism site (Furusato) and tourism site (Jidai)
- Shunan City: Factory Night Walk
- Yamaguchi tourism site: Little Busan Festa 2026
- Hofu Tenmangu: Gojinko Festival and tourism site
