How to Find Sky Lanterns in Forza Horizon 6

by Sacheen · May 21, 2026

Sky Lanterns are one of the most searched Photography collectibles in Forza Horizon 6. Players know they need to photograph them for the Discover Japan Collection Journal, but the game gives almost no hint about where to look or when they appear.

This guide covers the exact location, why they are season-locked, and a quick EventLab trick that lets you find and photograph them right now — no waiting required.

Table of Contents

TL;DR — Sky Lanterns Quick Summary

Sky Lanterns are a Photography collectible for the Discover Japan Collection Journal.
They appear in the Shimanoyama region, northeast of the stadium, near a cluster of tents.
They only show up during Autumn at nighttime.
Use EventLab share code 204464051 to access them in any season.
Take the photo in Photo Mode to earn 100 Discover Japan points.

What Are Sky Lanterns in Forza Horizon 6?

Forza Horizon 6 is set across a beautifully recreated Japan. As you explore the open world, you collect stamps in your Discover Japan Collection Journal. One of the key categories in this journal is Photography, which requires you to find and photograph 26 specific items scattered across the map.

Sky Lanterns are one of those 26 items. They are glowing paper lanterns that float above a festival tent area at night. They are tied to Japanese cultural traditions and only appear in the game under specific seasonal conditions — which is exactly why so many players cannot find them.

Each photo you take earns you 100 Discover Japan points. Completing all 26 photos also unlocks a bonus 500 points on top of that. These points matter because they help you level up your Horizon stamp, which in turn unlocks barn finds, houses, and other key content. Check our full Forza Horizon 6 Photo Mode guide for tips on all the best shots in the game.

Sky Lanterns Location in Forza Horizon 6

The Sky Lanterns are found in the Shimanoyama region. Head to the area just northeast of the stadium in that region. You will find a cluster of festival tents with NPCs gathered around them.

This is the only confirmed spot where Sky Lanterns appear. The tent area is fairly easy to identify once you are in the right part of Shimanoyama. Look for the grouping of tents on your map and approach on foot or by car.

The important thing to understand is that the Sky Lanterns do not appear here all the time. During most seasons, you will see Koinobori Fish Flags or Kites floating above the tents instead. The lanterns only replace those decorations when the in-game season is set to Autumn and the time is set to night.

If you want to get familiar with the full layout of the Shimanoyama region and its surrounding areas, our Japan Map Guide covering all regions, districts, and landmarks is a great place to start.

Why Are Sky Lanterns So Hard to Find?

Sky Lanterns are locked to a specific season and time of day. They only appear during Autumn (Fall) at nighttime. If you visit the tent area in any other season, or during the daytime in Autumn, you will not see them.

Seasons in Forza Horizon 6 rotate on a weekly schedule, changing every Thursday. So depending on when you are playing, you could be waiting days for the right conditions to naturally occur.

To make things more complicated, the game gives you no on-screen hint about this. The Collection Journal just lists “Sky Lanterns” as a photography target without telling you where to go or when to look. Many players waste time driving around random parts of the map hoping to stumble across them.

The good news is there is a reliable workaround using the EventLab that bypasses the season restriction entirely.

How to Find Sky Lanterns Any Time — EventLab Method

You do not have to wait for Autumn to roll around. The EventLab inside the Creative Hub lets community members build custom events with their own season and time-of-day settings. By joining a player-created event set to Autumn at night near the tent area, you can see and photograph the Sky Lanterns immediately.

Here is the full step-by-step process:

Step 1 — Open the Pause Menu and Go to Creative Hub

Press your pause or menu button during gameplay. Navigate to the Creative Hub tab from the main menu.

Step 2 — Select Horizon EventLab

Inside the Creative Hub, choose Horizon EventLab. From there, select Play Challenges rather than creating your own.

Step 3 — Search by Share Code

Look for the Search button at the bottom of the screen. A search panel will appear. Leave all fields blank except the Share Code box. Enter the following code:

Share Code: 204464051

This code loads a community-created Autumnal Nighttime route placed right next to the Sky Lantern tent area in Shimanoyama. It was created by the community specifically for this purpose and is one of the most widely recommended codes for this challenge.

Step 4 — Choose the Sky Lanterns Route and Start

After entering the code, confirm the search. The event will appear in the results. Select the route that is specifically for the Sky Lanterns photo and start the event.

It is worth knowing that if you create your own EventLab event, Photo Mode is not available during it. This is why you need to use a community-created event — Photo Mode works correctly in other players’ events, letting you snap the required shot.

Step 5 — Take the Photo

Once the event begins, the Sky Lanterns will be visible right in front of you above the tents. Drive your car a little closer so the lanterns fill your frame nicely.

On console, press Up on the D-Pad to open Photo Mode. On PC, check your key bindings for the Photo Mode shortcut. Frame the shot so the Sky Lanterns are clearly visible and take the picture. The challenge completes automatically and you receive your 100 Discover Japan points.

Sky Lanterns vs Kites vs Koinobori Fish Flags vs Tanabata Streamers

Forza Horizon 6 has several seasonal decoration items that appear at or near the same tent areas but at different times. It is important to understand the difference because each one counts as a separate Photography collectible in your Collection Journal.

Sky Lanterns — Autumn season, nighttime only. Found northeast of the Shimanoyama stadium near the festival tents.
Koinobori Fish Flags — Appear in other seasons at the same area when Sky Lanterns are not active.
Kites — Another decorative item that appears at the tent area depending on the active season.
Tanabata Streamers — A separate Photography collectible tied to a different seasonal condition and location.

Even if you have already photographed Koinobori Fish Flags or Kites, you still need to complete the Sky Lanterns photo separately. They are different entries in your journal. The same EventLab workaround method described above can be used for Tanabata Streamers and other season-locked items as well.

Discover Japan Points — What Do They Unlock?

Every Photography collectible you capture gives you 100 Discover Japan points. With 26 total photography items in the Collection Journal, plus a 500-point completion bonus, the Photography category alone is worth 3,100 Discover Japan points in total.

Discover Japan points are one of the most important progression currencies in the game. Here is what they help you unlock:

Barn Finds — Discover abandoned classic cars hidden across the map. See our full Forza Horizon 6 Barn Find locations guide for every car.
Houses — Purchase properties that grant you perks and fast travel points. Check our all houses locations and perks guide for details.
Stamp Progression — Levelling your stamp unlocks more of the game’s features and story content.
Treasure Cars — Higher stamp levels reveal hidden treasure car locations like the Ford GT, the Porsche 959, and the Mazda RX-7.

If you want to level up faster across the board, our guide on how to get XP and level up fast covers the most efficient methods in the game.

Tips for Getting the Perfect Sky Lanterns Photo

Getting the photo to register is straightforward, but here are a few tips to make it go smoothly.

Get close to the lanterns. Drive your car up near the tent area so the lanterns are clearly in frame. A photo taken from too far away may not look great, even if it does complete the challenge.
Use Quality Mode on console. On Xbox Series X or PS5, switching to Quality Mode before your photography session gives you sharper visuals and smoother results.
Frame the shot well. You do not need a perfect photograph to trigger the completion. But centering the lanterns in the shot helps make sure the game registers it correctly.
Favourite the EventLab event. Once you find the share code event, add it to your Favourites. This way you can reload it quickly without re-entering the code if something goes wrong.
Do not try to finish the route. You just need the photo. As soon as you take it, the challenge is done. You can exit the event straight away.

Other Photography Collectibles Near Shimanoyama

While you are in the Shimanoyama region hunting for Sky Lanterns, it is worth ticking off some other nearby Photography collectibles at the same time. The region has several items on the list.

Two of the mural photography targets in the broader area include the Wakana Yamazaki Mural and the Dragon 76 Mural. Both are worth finding if you are already in the area and working through your Collection Journal.

Shimanoyama is also home to some of the best touge roads in the game. If you enjoy that side of Forza Horizon 6, check out our dedicated best roads guide covering mountain passes, expressways, and rural routes as well as our complete Touge Battle Mode guide.

More Forza Horizon 6 Guides

If you are working through the Collection Journal and want to maximise your Discover Japan points as fast as possible, these guides will help:

Seasonal Events and Festival Playlist Guide — Know which season is active and what rewards are available each week.
How to Earn Credits Fast — Build your budget so you can buy houses and unlock perks quickly.
Best Starter Cars to Buy First — Make the right early choices so you are not grinding from scratch.
All Cars by Class — Complete List — See every car in the game and plan your collection.
Beginner’s Guide — Tourist to Legend Progression — A full roadmap for new players covering every system in the game.

Where to Play Forza Horizon 6

Forza Horizon 6 is available now across PC, Xbox, and PlayStation. You can get it from the following official sources:

Wrapping Up

Sky Lanterns in Forza Horizon 6 are a seasonal Photography collectible found in the Shimanoyama region, northeast of the stadium near the festival tents. They only appear during Autumn at nighttime, which is why most players cannot find them on a normal playthrough.

The fastest fix is EventLab share code 204464051. It drops you right next to the tents in the correct season and time of day, letting you open Photo Mode and grab the shot in under a minute. No waiting, no guessing, no driving around in circles.

Once you have the Sky Lanterns ticked off, keep chipping away at the other 25 Photography collectibles and you will hit that 3,100-point bonus before long. And if you are looking to build a faster, stronger garage while you explore, our guides on the best cars for every class, best drift cars and tuning setups, and best cars to upgrade with bodykit presets are worth a read.