Story A thousand women dancing at Yamaga Lantern Festival By JNTO on 03 July 2017

"Yamaga Lantern Festival" is one of the most popular summer traditions of Kyushu. Women in summer "yukata" with golden lanterns on their heads dance elegantly, creating a nostalgic and beautiful sight.
During the two-day festival, streets are decorated with garden lanterns, which bring a festive mood to the whole area. Events such as a dedication ceremony of lanterns held at Omiya Shrine, lantern dancing, and a fireworks festival are held on the first day. The main event, "Sennin Toro Odori (a thousand people dancing)" is held on the second day. Women, placing a golden lantern on their head, form rings of circles and dance elegantly through the night. Once you see the dance, it will surely become one of your lifetime memories.
Garden lanterns are usually made from metal, but in Yamaga Lantern Festival they are made in a traditional way that using only Japanese "washi" paper and a small amount of glue; this way of making the lanterns goes back some 600 years. Yamaga lanterns made with this unique method are surprisingly light. The "Yamaga Lantern Craft Museum" has a collection of Yamaga lanterns which are said to require the highest technique of Japanese paper craft. It is a must place for visitors to Yamaga.

Yamaga Lantern Festival

Address

351 Yamaga, Yamaga City (Yamaga elementary school ground and other venues)

Website

http://yamaga-tanbou.jp.e.zh.hp.transer.com/about/toromatsuri/

Phone

0968-43-1579 (Yamaga Toro Festival Executive Committee)

Date

August 15 and 16, 2017

 

Yamaga Lantern Craft Museum

Address

1606-2 Yamaga, Yamaga City

Website

http://yamaga.site/?page_id=1550

Phone

0968-43-1152