I joined their newsletter. They emailed this the other day http://www.nippon-lo.com/announcement-shir...ght-event-2018/ There shows the options for accommodations, driving in, bus tours. The first tour still available i think http://www.yokoso-japan.jp/en/feature15.html but in my opinion its expensive. But there are 2 other options (which I think may be cheaper). If you can reserve the yokoso one first and get the other ones I think its free cancellation for the first one so long as early enough. So try secure those. Good luck. I am staying 2 nights in Takayama though theres also the hida folk village light up and takayama seems highly rated to go. So I thought i'd stay over.

Nice... but I have very little confidence of being able to try and ask even if I could speak the language. haha..

For the observatory you gotta line up for tickets there.. its another 500 yen (again.. urgh) http://www.nippon-lo.com/light/

Well thats for the observatory to get that overall view. But you can still walk around the village and take pics from ground level.