New Taipei Christmasland 2026 Opens with a Giant Kanahei Inflatable Plane
Christmasland in New Taipei City 2026 opens on November 13 and runs through December 27, a 45-day holiday festival built around the Japanese illustrator Kanahei's "Small Animals" characters. The centerpiece indoors is a giant pink inflatable plane in the lobby of New Taipei City Hall in Banqiao, which drew visitors with cameras in the days before the official opening. Visitors can climb aboard the plane to pose with the characters, because the inflatable is built around an internal steel frame and has a slide alongside it. Outside on New Taipei City Plaza, a 33-metre Christmas tree shaped as a hot-air balloon carries the same characters. For venues, brands and IP owners, the lobby plane is a current example of a character inflatable designed as a walk-in photo set.
Christmasland 2026 Runs for 45 Days Under a Kanahei Theme
New Taipei City's Tourism and Travel Department launched this year's festival at an October 22 press conference attended by Mayor Hou Yu-ih. The 2026 theme is "Travel," and the characters Usagi, Piske and Zombie Neko act as travel companions across the lighting zones. According to the department's press release, the festival runs from Friday, November 13, to Sunday, December 27.
The main landmark stands on New Taipei City Plaza. The Liberty Times and ETtoday both report that this year's main tree is a 33-metre hot-air-balloon design, with Usagi and Piske riding in the basket. Focus Taiwan reported that a trial lighting of the tree on the north side of City Hall took place on November 10, while final preparations continued.
The program runs alongside the lights. Christmas markets open daily at New Taipei City Plaza and Banqiao Station Plaza, with weekend markets at Fuzhong Plaza. Scheduled events include a children's circus carnival on November 14 and 15, a German Christmas market from December 4 to 6, and celebrity concerts on December 12 and 13.
A Walk-In Inflatable Plane in the City Hall Lobby
Focus Taiwan reported that a giant inflatable installation featuring the Kanahei characters had attracted visitors taking photos in the City Hall lobby before opening day. ETtoday identifies it as "Dream Flight" (夢想航班), a giant pink inflatable shaped as an airplane and described as the most eye-catching piece on the City Hall ground floor.
The installation is designed for people to use. ETtoday reports that the inflatable has an internal steel frame, so visitors can step aboard and take photos with Usagi and Piske. A slide stands next to the plane, and the outlet suggests it for children aged seven and over. Its November 13 opening-day report again describes the pink plane and the slide as open for visitors to enter and photograph.
The lobby holds two more character pieces: a pink travel car with screens playing character animation, and a large photo frame styled as an Instagram post. ETtoday notes that these indoor pieces let visitors keep taking photos when it rains.
What the Lobby Plane Shows About Walk-In Character Inflatables
- Visitor-bearing areas need their own structure. The inflated envelope gives the plane its character shape and size, and the internal steel frame carries the people who climb aboard. Any inflatable that visitors stand in or climb needs a support system designed for that load, planned together with the envelope from the first drawings.
- An indoor site keeps the photo set working in any weather. The lobby location means the plane stays usable on rainy evenings, when outdoor zones lose visitors. Indoor inflatables are sized to the room: ceiling height, floor area and door width set the limits, and the deflated envelope has to pass through the building's existing entrances.
- Licensed characters need exact shapes and colors. Usagi and Piske appear across the lobby plane, the travel car and the outdoor tree. Keeping proportions, facial details and pink tones consistent across inflatable and rigid pieces is what makes a licensed character recognizable in photos.
Custom Character Inflatables for Seasonal Events
360 Inflatable produces custom mascot and licensed character inflatables from approved artwork, including walk-in and photo-set designs for malls, city festivals and brand pop-ups. For landmark-scale displays, our custom giant inflatables cover freestanding, indoor and outdoor builds. To plan a holiday installation, send us the character artwork, venue dimensions, intended visitor use and installation date for a structural and production review.
Sources:
Focus Taiwan (CNA) — New Taipei's Christmasland to run from Nov. 13 to Dec. 27 — November 11, 2026
Tourism and Travel Department, New Taipei City Government, via Media OutReach Newswire — Christmasland in New Taipei City 2026 Teams Up with "Kanahei's Small animals" for the Cutest Winter Getaway — November 10, 2026
ETtoday Travel — 新北耶誕城5亮點搶先看 33米卡娜赫拉耶誕樹、還能登粉紅機艙 — November 10, 2026
Liberty Times — 圖輯》新北耶誕城最萌主角登場！卡娜赫拉搭熱氣球 點燈後畫面超夢幻 — November 11, 2026
ETtoday Travel — 新北耶誕城今晚開城 卡娜赫拉熱氣球、飄雪精靈特快車必拍 — November 13, 2026