Yamaga Lantern Festival

Overview

The Yamaga Lantern Festival (Yamaga Toro Matsuri) is a summer fire festival held every year on August 15 and 16 in Yamaga City, Kumamoto Prefecture. It is best known for the Sennin Toro Odori, the "thousand-lantern dance," in which women in yukata gracefully dance while balancing golden paper lanterns called kintoro on their heads, moving in unison to a gentle melody. Rooted in the rituals of Omiya Shrine, the town's tutelary shrine, the festival bathes the area in a magical glow and is regarded as one of Kyushu's representative summer festivals.

The Yamaga lantern itself, the symbol of the festival, is a traditional craft said to have a history of more than 500 years. It is made entirely from handmade washi paper and a small amount of glue, using no wood or metal fittings whatsoever. In 2013, the Yamaga lantern was designated a National Traditional Craft.

History and Origins

The origins of the festival are traced to a local legend involving Emperor Keiko. When the imperial procession of the twelfth Emperor Keiko was blocked by deep fog during a tour of Kyushu, the villagers of Yamaga are said to have welcomed the party by holding up torches and lighting the way to safety. From then on, the villagers offered torches in honor of the emperor, and this is said to be the beginning of the festival. The custom of offering fire later developed into a rite of dedicating lanterns to Omiya Shrine.

The lanterns themselves gradually evolved from the original torches into intricate paper creations. Forms such as shrine-style, castle-style, and parlor-style lanterns, as well as quivers and birdcages, were developed using Yamaga's distinctive technique of constructing three-dimensional shapes from paper and glue alone. The Yohebushi song danced at the festival also has its own history: the lyrics sung today were rewritten in 1933 by the poet Noguchi Ujo. The Sennin Toro Odori, in which women dance with golden lanterns on their heads, began around 1955. Though a relatively recent addition, it has become the defining scene of the festival.

Highlights

The greatest highlight is the Sennin Toro Odori held on the final night, August 16. At the grounds of Yamaga Elementary School, women in yukata wearing golden lanterns on their heads form layered circles and dance in flawless unison to the Yohebushi melody. The sight of countless flickering lights tracing great circles in the darkness is the festival's signature image and draws many visitors.

The craft of the Yamaga lantern itself is also a highlight. Large dedicatory lanterns shaped like shrines and castles possess a weight and splendor that belie their paper construction. At the Yamaga Lantern Folk Art Museum in the city, visitors can view superb works by lantern artisans, including shrine-style, castle-style, and parlor-style lanterns, quivers, birdcages, and the famous golden lanterns, even outside the festival season.

Event Information and Access

The Yamaga Lantern Festival is held annually on August 15 and 16 in Yamaga City, Kumamoto Prefecture. The Sennin Toro Odori takes place on the night of the 16th, with Yamaga Elementary School grounds as the main venue, while the dedication of lanterns is conducted at Omiya Shrine. During the festival the central districts become the venue and are filled with crowds.

Yamaga City lies north of Kumamoto City along the Kikuchi River and is some distance from rail stations, so access is mainly by bus or car. Traffic restrictions are in place around the venue on festival days, so visitors are encouraged to use public transport or designated parking and shuttle arrangements.

Nearby Attractions

Yamaga is an old hot-spring town that flourished along the Kikuchi River, and it is dotted with attractions including historic baths and the Yachiyoza, a famous playhouse. The Yachiyoza is a Meiji-era theater designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan and still used for performances today. The Yamaga Lantern Folk Art Museum introduces the lantern-making process and history along with actual dedicatory lanterns.

Related Information

• Month held: August (August 15-16)
• Prefecture: Kumamoto
• Location: Yamaga City (Omiya Shrine, Yamaga Elementary School grounds, etc.)
• Origin: Omiya Shrine rite derived from the legend of offering torches to Emperor Keiko
• Main events: Sennin Toro Odori (night of August 16, Yohebushi song), lantern dedication
• Feature: Yamaga lanterns made of washi and glue only; designated a National Traditional Craft in 2013
• Nearby: Yachiyoza (Important Cultural Property), Yamaga Lantern Folk Art Museum, Yamaga Onsen

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