In October 2015, the only domestic business organization in night view tourism, YAKEI（Night view）Convention & Visitors Bureau, organized a vote by certified night view experts around Japan with the aim of stimulating domestic and international night-viewing tourism. The night views that received votes were sorted by city, and the top three cities were chosen according to those point totals as “Japan’s New Three Most Spectacular Night Views.” In recent years, the night view tourism environment has been undergoing rapid changes, so the same certification brand is expected to renew these rankings three years from now.
Certification organization: YAKEI（Night view）Convention & Visitors Bureau Official Homepage
http://www.yakei-cvb.or.jp
The background and goals of certifying the “Three Japanese Cities with the Most Spectacular Night Views” (Colloquially known as: Japan’s Three Most Spectacular Night Views):
It is not entirely clear when and by whom the “Japan’s Three Most Spectacular Night Views” and the “Three Cities with the Most Spectacular Night Views in the World” brands were established. Upon searching for the answer, one might stumble across the common belief that this took place during the period of rapid economic growth in the 1950s and 1960s in Japan. Some say that when this growth prompted a boom in domestic tourism, travel agencies spread these two brands as they created products. However, this too is uncertain. In any case, it has now been 50 years since those times. Japan’s night views have undergone tremendous shifts and we are bringing the “Most Spectacular Night Views” brand into a new age.
After Monaco, Hong Kong and Nagasaki were certified as the “New Three Cities with the Most Spectacular Night Views in the World” in 2012 at the Night View Summit 2012 in Nagasaki, Japan, Nagasaki’s Mt. Inasa Ropeway, which had once nearly gone out of business, went on to achieve a remarkable increase in the number of registered visitors. The “New Three Cities with the Most Spectacular Night Views in the World” brand has had huge economic benefits such as the economic effect of creating over 15 billion yen in a single year via Nagasaki City’s night view.
Furthermore, in 2015, as a new Japanese brand with the goal of disseminating and expanding the revitalization of night view tourism both domestically and internationally, the “Japan’s New Three Most Spectacular Night Views” brand was born. And from this too, each selected city benefited from receiving more visitors. Recertification is held once every three years, and thus in 2018, the newly-chosen “Japan’s New Three Most Spectacular Night Views” were announced.
Selection methods for choosing Japan’s New Three Most Spectacular Night Views (Official Name: “The New Three Japanese Cities with the Most Spectacular Night Views”):
Questionnaires were collected from night view appreciation experts across Japan (individuals certified through the Night View Appreciation Examination), to select the cities ranked first to third as “The New Three Japanese Cities with the Most Spectacular Night Views.” The final city rankings were determined by the total number of points earned. With those results, the top three cities certified as “The New Three Japanese Cities with the Most Spectacular Night Views,” also known as “Japan’s New Three Most Spectacular Night Views,” were announced. The top three cities and their rankings according to the voting are as follows below.
Countless cities were considered when ultimately choosing the city to be ranked as third in all of Japan. The selecting body took advantage of the recent boom in the popularity of factory night views and considered the products being continuously created alongside their various promotional efforts as part of their judging criteria. Plus, the richness of light displays such as Kokura Illumination and Wakato Bridge Light Up have also improved the popularity and charm of this city. Kitakyushu was also able to move up in the national ranks due to the combined impact of its various appealing points such as Mt. Sarakura, Mt. Takato, Adachi Park and the Mojiko Retro Observation Room, among others.
Kitakyushu City sightseeing information is available here.
Yokohama City was selected as one of “Japan’s New Three Most Spectacular Night Views” in the fourth election in 2024. While already recognized for its beautiful night views, various tourism initiatives carried out in recent years have provided satisfaction to night view tourism experts, further boosting its ranking. Yokohama also boasts a rich history, both in terms of its nightscape appeal and historical significance. In 1872, the first gas lamps in Japan were installed along Bashamichi and Honchostreets. Since then, the port city of Yokohama experienced a period of rapid economic growth, with development since the 1980s seeing the emergence of high-rise buildings in the city's waterfront area. The Minato Mirai 21 district, home to the Landmark Tower, the Red Brick Warehouse, and YOKOHAMA COSMO WORLD, has grown into a futuristic city. The "Light Up Yokohama" night view project, launched experimentally in 1986, showcased the city's nightscape through lighting effects on historical buildings and other landmarks, promoting the appeal of the night view to residents and tourists, while revitalizing the city and evolving with the times. In the present day, many buildings are illuminated at night, including the Kanagawa Prefectural Government Office, Yokohama Customs, Yokohama Port Opening Memorial Hall, Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Cultural History, and Yokohama Bay Bridge. While the views that can be seen from the iconic night view spots of the Osanbashi Pier and Kishamichi Promenade are beautifully composed, the city's appeal extends beyond its physical infrastructure. In line with stepped-up efforts to revitalize night view tourism, nighttime events are also garnering attention. These include “YORUNOYO” (the Yokohama Illumination), a grand gathering of illuminations held throughout Yokohama, and short-duration fireworks event Yokohama Sparkling Twilight (renamed Yokohama Night Flowers in April 2025), launched in 2020, as well as the illuminations at the Yokohama Port Osanbashi International Passenger Terminal. From gas lamps to dazzling city lights, Yokohama offers a variety of impressive scenes. Other potential awaits in Motomachi, Chinatown, and inland areas. While the city continues to evolve through area development, the fluidity of its nightscape, constantly evolving with its growth, is also part of its appeal.
▼Yokohama tourist information is available here on the “25 Best Night View Spots in Yokohama” webpage
https://www.welcome.city.yokohama.jp/yakei/
The unique basin-shaped landscape encircling Nagasaki Bay, locally known as “Crane Bay,” ensures that panoramic night views can be appreciated from various directions such as from Mt. Inasa, Mt. Nabekanmuri, and Kazagashira Park. Excellent night-viewing facilities are available at each viewing point, and visitors can enjoy the breathtaking night views. Other than the numerous attractions such as the Oura Cathedral, Dejima, Megami Bridge and Megane Bridge, there are also many night events such as the renowned Nagasaki Lantern Festival that attracts over one million spectators each year. And what’s more, the city actively strives to maintain both soft and hard infrastructure and facilities for tourism with initiatives such as preparing websites and pamphlets introducing night views, and night view navigator activities, etc. In 2012 when Hong Kong, Monaco and Nagasaki were certified as the “New Three Cities with the Most Spectacular Night Views in the World,” the number of tourists visiting to experience these sights grew rapidly. Those cities accelerated their efforts by increasing the number of light displays and renovating their existing displays, etc. Even now, Nagasaki is constantly developing its night view brand as the number of Japanese and international tourists continues to grow.
Information on Nagasaki City tourism can be found here:
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