Huis Ten Bosch's New Winter Lights, The Starlight Million (Nov 6, 2026 to Feb 25, 2027): After 3 Passport From ¥5,900, Hours and the Dates That Cost More

Huis Ten Bosch, the Dutch-style theme park resort in Sasebo, Nagasaki, is replacing its winter illumination for the first time in 16 years. The new show, The Starlight Million, runs from Friday, November 6, 2026 to Thursday, February 25, 2027, and the park's Christmas event runs alongside it until December 25. The lights are included with park admission. On the official ticket page, a 1DAY Passport costs from ¥7,600 for adults, and the evening After 3 Passport, which lets you in from 3:00 p.m., costs from ¥5,900. Both prices change by date. This guide sets out what the official pages say, so you can pick your night and your ticket.

*DOJI is an independent travel publication. We have no business relationship with Huis Ten Bosch or any hotel, and this guide is not endorsed by them. Everything below comes from Huis Ten Bosch's own press release, event pages, ticket page, opening-hours calendar, FAQ and access page, checked on November 2, 2026 (Eastern time). Times are Japan time (JST) unless we say otherwise. Japan is 14 hours ahead of Eastern time in winter. Prices and details can change, so check the official pages again before you buy.*

The short version

• The Starlight Million: November 6, 2026 to February 25, 2027. It replaces the park's previous illumination.
• European Holy Christmas: November 6 to December 25, 2026, in the same streets.
• Tickets: there is no separate illumination ticket on the official ticket page. You need a park passport. Adult prices start at ¥7,600 (1DAY) and ¥5,900 (After 3, entry from 3:00 p.m.), tax included.
• Prices vary: "from" means the lowest price. Huis Ten Bosch charges more on listed busy dates and on special event days such as the fireworks festival and the countdown.
• Hours: most days in November and December are 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Some nights run to 10:00 p.m., and December 31 runs to 2:00 a.m. Last entry is one hour before closing.
• No refunds: tickets cannot be cancelled or refunded, though the official page says you can change the date after buying.

What the new illumination looks like

According to Huis Ten Bosch's press release and event page:

• Amsterdam City, the square at the centre of the park, becomes a plaza of stars. More than 100 star objects glow on building walls and underfoot. They flicker as if alive, and the park says you can touch them and "wear" their light.
• A moon object large enough to sit on, plus smoke and waterside effects, are part of the square.
• The tree-lined canal avenue leading to Amsterdam City is lit with stars for 500 metres.
• The Waterfall of Light, about 66 metres wide, and the Aurora Garden of Light have also been updated.

Huis Ten Bosch says its illumination has been ranked first in Japan 13 years in a row. That is the park's own claim, based on awards from a Japanese night-view tourism body and an international illumination award, as listed in its press release.

Lights-on time: none of the official pages we checked gives a lights-on or lights-off time for The Starlight Million. Plan to be in the park before dark, and check the daily show schedule on the day.

Christmas: November 6 to December 25

The European Holy Christmas event runs in Amsterdam City until December 25. The official event page lists:

• The Grand Chandelier Tree, a tree modelled on a chandelier. The press release says it shines with about 9,000 crystals and calls it the only one of its kind in Japan.
• A Christmas market with food, drinks and goods.
• Melody of Christmas, a night show in which lighting the chandelier tree signals the Christmas lights across the town.
• Santa greetings (not held on Wednesdays) and Fairy's Christmas Wish, a dance show from November 21.
• Shower of Lights, the park's night show with live music, light effects and a fireworks finale, at the Art Garden. Extra "special fireworks" are listed for November 21 and 22 and December 24 and 25.

Special nights that change the plan

• November 14 (Saturday): Kyushu's Biggest Fireworks Festival. About 22,000 fireworks from 6:45 to 8:30 p.m. (planned). The park is open 10:00 a.m. to midnight, but last entry is 9:00 p.m. The event has its own passport price, separate from the regular one. The Harbour Zone, which you can normally enter without a ticket, is excluded on fireworks days.
• December 26 to 31: Grand Finale Night. A different music and fireworks theme each night, with live sets announced for December 26, 27 and 28. The official page says there are no paid seats for the live shows, and you need a park admission ticket to watch.
• December 31: the countdown. The park is open until 2:00 a.m. on January 1, with last entry at midnight. The countdown also has its own passport price, and Huis Ten Bosch's ticket notes say the After 3 Passport is not sold for December 31.

What the tickets cost

Adult prices from Huis Ten Bosch's official ticket page, tax included. Each is the lowest ("from") price:

Other age groups pay less. For the 1DAY Passport, prices start at ¥6,600 for junior high and high school students, ¥5,000 for elementary school children, ¥3,800 for preschoolers aged 4 and over, and ¥5,900 for seniors aged 65 and over. For the After 3 Passport, they start at ¥5,100, ¥3,900, ¥3,000 and ¥4,700. Children aged 3 and under get in without a ticket. You must show ID to use the senior or preschool price.

At the park's ticket counter, the After 3 Passport goes on sale from 2:30 p.m. on the day.

Which ticket for the lights? If you only want the illumination and the evening shows, the After 3 Passport is the lower-priced way in. If you stay overnight nearby, the 1.5DAY Passport covers an evening and the whole next day, and the park says it costs less than an After 3 plus a 1DAY bought separately. It is sold only at the park.

Busy dates cost more. Huis Ten Bosch's FAQ (as of October 9, 2026) lists these dates in the illumination period as specific dates with different prices:

• November 2026: 21, 22, 28, 29
• December 2026: 5, 6, 12, 13, and 24 to 30
• January 2027: 1 to 3, 9, 10

The fireworks festival on November 14 and the countdown on December 31 have their own prices. The exact price for your date appears when you choose it in the official web ticket store. We have not listed per-date prices here because they depend on the day.

Hours, entry and re-entry

From the official opening-hours calendar:

• November 2026: 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on most days. Open until 10:00 p.m. on November 7, 21, 22 and 28. Open until midnight on November 14 (fireworks).
• December 2026: 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on most days. Open until 10:00 p.m. on December 5, 12, 19 and 24 to 30. Open until 2:00 a.m. on December 31.
• Last entry is one hour before closing, and that also applies to re-entry. On the fireworks day it is 9:00 p.m., and on the countdown day it is midnight.
• You must leave within 30 minutes of closing.
• Re-entry is allowed. Get a re-entry stamp on the back of your hand near the Schiphol exit shop, and bring your ticket back to the entrance gate.

Hours can change, so check the calendar again before you go. We did not find January and February 2027 hours on the calendar.

Rules worth knowing before you buy

• No cancellations or refunds, and lost tickets are not reissued.
• Date changes after purchase are allowed, according to the ticket page.
• Tickets from travel agencies without a QR code must be exchanged at the park's ticket counter on the day.
• The "Enjoy! Huis Ten Bosch" rail-and-ticket package includes a 1DAY Passport voucher that cannot be used on special event days such as the fireworks festival and the countdown.
• Resold tickets found on auction sites or social media are tracked and cancelled.
• Staying at one of the five official hotels (Hotel Europe, Hotel Amsterdam, Forest Villa, Hotel Den Haag and Hotel Rotterdam)? If you buy a 1DAY or After 3 Passport for your check-in day, the hotel front desk gives you a passport for the next day, according to the ticket page.

Getting there

Huis Ten Bosch's access page says the nearest station is JR Huis Ten Bosch Station, about a 7-minute walk from the entrance building. From Nagasaki Airport, it is about 60 minutes by bus or about 50 minutes by high-speed boat.

What we could not confirm

• Lights-on and lights-off times: not published on the official pages we checked.
• Paying with a non-Japanese card: the official pages we checked do not say whether cards issued outside Japan work in the web ticket store. Have a backup card ready, and expect an extra security check from your bank.
• The English buying process: Huis Ten Bosch has an English ticket page with the same prices and a link to its web ticket store. We did not go through checkout, so we cannot say whether every step is in English.
• Exact prices on busy dates: they appear only when you pick a date, so check yours before you plan around a "from" price.
• January and February 2027 hours: not shown when we checked.

Checklist

• [ ] Pick your date, and check whether it is one of the listed busy dates, November 14 or December 31.
• [ ] For an evening visit, choose the After 3 Passport. It is valid from 3:00 p.m.
• [ ] Staying overnight nearby? Compare the 1.5DAY Passport, sold only at the park.
• [ ] Check the opening hours for your date. Last entry is one hour before closing.
• [ ] Want the special fireworks? They are listed for November 21 and 22 and December 24 and 25.
• [ ] Bring ID if you are using the senior or preschool price.
• [ ] Remember that tickets cannot be refunded.

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Sources

• Huis Ten Bosch press release: The Starlight Million (Aug 27, 2026, Japanese, via PR TIMES): first major renewal in 16 years, dates, star square, 100+ star objects, moon object, 500 m canal avenue, Waterfall of Light and Aurora Garden updates, Christmas dates, Grand Chandelier Tree with about 9,000 crystals, award claim. Checked 2026-11-02.
• Huis Ten Bosch official illumination page (Japanese): The Starlight Million dates, Christmas, fireworks and Grand Finale Night dates. Checked 2026-11-02.
• Huis Ten Bosch official ticket page (Japanese) and English ticket page: passport types and "from" prices by age, After 3 entry from 3:00 p.m., where each ticket is sold, ID rule, no refunds, date changes, re-entry, Harbour Zone, travel-agency tickets, rail package voucher limit, resale, official-hotel next-day passport, After 3 counter sales from 2:30 p.m. and no After 3 sales for Dec 31. Checked 2026-11-02.
• Huis Ten Bosch FAQ: passports on specific dates (Japanese): list of specific dates with different prices (as of Oct 9, 2026). Checked 2026-11-02.
• Huis Ten Bosch opening hours (Japanese): November and December 2026 hours, last entry and exit rules. Checked 2026-11-02.
• European Holy Christmas event page (Japanese): Christmas programme, Santa greeting schedule, Shower of Lights and special fireworks dates. Checked 2026-11-02.
• Kyushu's Biggest Fireworks Festival page (Japanese): Nov 14 date, 22,000 fireworks, 6:45–8:30 p.m., park hours and last entry. Checked 2026-11-02.
• Grand Finale Night page (Japanese): Dec 26–31 programme, no paid seats for live shows, admission required. Checked 2026-11-02.
• Huis Ten Bosch access page (Japanese): station walk time and airport bus and boat times. Checked 2026-11-02.

Cover photo: the Ferris wheel at Huis Ten Bosch lit up at dusk (a past photo, not this year's new illumination). Photo by Shuto Araki via Unsplash.