Yamaga Lantern Festival Tours and Travel

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The graceful "Thousand Lantern Dance" - a thousand lanterns swaying fantastically... a seasonal summer event in Yamaga

Yamaga Lantern Festival is a festival held at Omiya Shrine in Yamaga Onsen, Yamaga City, Kumamoto Prefecture.
It is counted as one of the most representative annual events Kumamoto Prefecture. It opens with the "decoration of votive lanterns" on Aug. 15th and closes with the "hanging lanterns."
It was around 1954 that a few people started dancing, carrying "golden lanterns" made only from paper and glue on their heads.
The current style of the Sennin Toro Dance began around 1956.
The most exciting day of the festival is on Aug. 16th, when the "Thousand Lantern Dance" takes place on the grounds of Yamaga Elementary School, marking the climax of the festival.
The sight of a thousand women carrying golden lanterns on their heads dancing to the folk song "Yoheho Bushi" is truly breathtaking.
A thousand lights spread through the darkness, flowing and flickering like a whirlpool around the tower, and mysterious time passes...
The sight of women in yukata dancing gracefully exudes a nostalgic and beautiful Japanese atmosphere, transporting the viewer to a fantastical world.