Local Japanese Fall Festivals: Part 1 - Lanterns

In this and my next few posts I'd like to share about some of my favourite local Japanese fall festivals, all of which take place in various little towns outside of Miyazaki city, and all of which I have tried to go to every year I have been in Miyazaki.  

The paper lanterns painted by local students

My friend burning a scroll offering

The first is a lantern festival at a small town nearby called Takanabe. In mid October they decorate the Takanabe castle ruins at Maizuru Park and the surrounding streets with lanterns and candles, with a total of over 1,500 lights altogether! This festival began 14 years ago to "foster moral principle" and spread the teachings of the Meirin-do school, the official school of the region which was begun by Taneshige Akizuki in the 17th century.  

One of many pretty displays

One of the cute displays

Before it gets dark and the candles are lit, the festival begins with a parade of dancers, mainly obaachans (grandmothers) in traditional wear doing simple graceful movements. And of course just like most Japanese festivals, there is also a main stage area with various music and dance performances and festival foods to enjoy. But the main attractions of this festival appear after dark. You wander the grounds and see the variety of beautiful (and of course because this is Japan, some cute) lantern displays. In one area paper lanterns are painted by the local elementary school students, and this is usually the first display you come across. Another contribution done by the local school is that usually the whole school field nearby is lit by hundreds of candles placed in various patterns, shapes and words that you can see vividly when you look onto it from the street above. You can even walk onto the field and enjoy this display close up if you like, being surrounded by the light and candles. 

Bamboo with letters carved out
and candles placed inside

The river of light flowing down the hillside!

Further into the park, they also have many displays using carved or cut bamboo with candles inside that are especially striking. I enjoyed that they even made the banister going up to another field of displays an art form like this, carving flowers, dragonflies, words and such out of it and lighting it up. Most spectacular though is the main display at the top field. It uses hundreds of short bamboo sticks cut at various angles with candles inside and positioned carefully down the bank to look like a flowing river of light rushing down towards you (see right). The photo of course doesn't do it justice.

All in all this is a beautiful, charming festival that lets you walk around at your own pace and enjoy admiring the town's obviously great efforts in making a lot of very aesthetically pleasing and creative displays with light and lanterns. It's definitely one of my favourite local festivals.