Have you heard of the 'Thousand Lantern Festival'?

This is an annual festival held in the Honmachi Dori 5-bancho and 6-bancho shopping streets and Jinjo Yokocho in Chuo-ku, Niigata City. Thousands of lanterns line Honmachi-dori, illuminating the town and its people with warm light in this fantastic event.

Anyone can create lanterns to be laid out at the festival by paying a participation fee and can arrange original designs of their own design. Not only individuals, but also local government units and groups such as clubs and associations often participate.

It is also very beautiful and we want as many people as possible to see it! If you haven't joined us yet, we hope you will join us next year! This is why I decided to write this article.

The 15th edition of the 2015 event is reported here, with a focus on photographs.

Hakuryu Daigongen Shrine in the heart of Honmachi Dori and Jinjo Yokocho.

We arrived in Honmachi at around 18:00. The sun is still high, but there are many women dressed in yukata (light cotton kimono), and already a 'summer festival' feeling is in the air. I'm looking forward to it. Food stalls line the streets and many people can be seen walking around with beer and edamame in their hands. Ah, summer in Japan.

Light the lamp!

At this time of year, the sun goes down after 7.00 p.m. At around 6.30 p.m., the lights start to be lit with an announcement. Lantern makers and spectators all work together to light the lanterns in unison. Many fathers and mothers let their small children light the lanterns, which is very funny.

浴衣姿の女の子も一生懸命に着火。素敵な光景…！ご覧のとおり、本町通をビッシリ埋め尽くしている灯篭。運営関係者の方にお聞きしたところ、なんでも約6, 000個あるとか！これだけの数なので、「すんなり着くのかな…」などと思っていましたが、ものの10数分で火が灯りました。「多くの人が協力してつくりあげる」というのは良いですねえ。あとは、暗くなるのを待つだけ！

What's happening is happening

本町通5番町の一角には人だかりが。どうやら今年は、特設ステージでファッションショーが開催中の模様。お客さんの先に目をやると、レッドカーペットが見えます。モデルさんは、本町、古町で商店を営む方からそのお客さん、友人まで、様々な方たちが参加していました。手作りの力作を披露する方が多かったです。客席はたいへん盛り上がっていました。そうこうしているうちに、良い感じで暗くなってまいりました。おお、すでに良い雰囲気を醸し出しているではありませんか…！お客さんもソワソワしてきています。まだか、まだか…と！むむむ、なんだかビールが欲しくなりませんかこういうとき！ならないですか、そうですか…。

Fantastic lanterns

Well, that's enough of the nouveau riche, from here I will tell you about the fantastic scene as the fire was lit and the fire fell, using only photographs.

On the special stage was singer Tsubasa Okamura, who was also introduced on this website. Her wonderful voice, accompanied by the sounds of the piano, echoed through Honmachi Street.

(Self-selected) Lanterns that have irresistibly caught my attention.

As you can see, when lit, each lantern's individuality emerges fantastically. Now, from here, I have picked out the lanterns that "struck me", selected at my own discretion and prejudice. This is completely subjective. Sorry.

かに！四字熟語！これまた四字熟語！

A unique and dangerous corner of the city.

Now, looking for interesting lanterns is one of the pleasures of the festival, but this year, there was one corner that was unique. Here it is.

こちら。お分りいただけるでしょうか…。ビッシリ文字で埋め尽くされた灯篭が、そこここに並びます。なんぞや…？ぬおお！これは…！近づいてみると一目瞭然でした。「サンフランシスコ講和条約」の条文ではないですか。筆者は学生時代、これを丸暗記せねばならない機会がありまして、いまだに余裕でそらんじられるほど覚えておりましたが…。まさか、ここでまみえることになるとは。意外な発見でした。いやー、しかしこれ、手書きですべて書いてあるわけですからね。すごいな…。

The fire is extinguished and the festival is over.

そんなこんなで、ビール片手にひたすら灯篭を眺めて回っていましたら、ひとつ、またひとつ…と、火が消えてきました。灯篭というのは、中にロウソクが入っている日本伝統の照明器具ですので、ロウが溶ければ終了となります（当たり前だっ！）。どんどん消えていってしまいます。寂しいですが、この儚さを味わうというのもまた一興なのかもしれませんね。21時頃でしょうか。完全に消え切ったタイミングで、お祭り終了のアナウンスが入り、今年のFestival of the Thousand Lights (Oct. 22 festival held at Heian Jingu Shrine in Kyoto)は終了となりました。また来年！

Events

Festival of the Thousand Lights (Oct. 22 festival held at Heian Jingu Shrine in Kyoto)

• Venue: Honmachi-dori 5-bancho and 6-bancho shopping streets, Jinjo Yokocho, Chuo-ku, Niigata City.
• Access: - Take the Niigata City Sightseeing Circulation Bus departing from Line 13 of JR Niigata Station Bus Terminal, get off at Higashiboridori 4-bancho and walk for 5 minutes.
• ● 20-minute drive from the Niigata-Nishi IC on the Hokuriku Expressway or Niigata-Chuo IC on the Ban-Etsu Expressway.
• Parking: pay parking in the vicinity.
• Participation Fee: Unexpected
• Organiser: Honmachi 5-bancho Shopping Street Promotion Association
• Reference website: Niigata Tourism Navi