Every August in Yanai City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, a wonderful summer festival is held using goldfish lanterns, a local folk craft.
The many “goldfish lanterns” hung along the white-walled streets filled with a sense of history are worth seeing, and at night, they create a more fantastic atmosphere.
The huge “Goldfish Nebuta” parade through the city with a shout of “Lassera” is a must-see!
Be sure to visit the Yanai Goldfish Lantern Festival, which can be enjoyed by children and adults.
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What is goldfish lantern
Goldfish lanterns are very cute with red and white bodies and black-eyed, mischievous faces!
During the festival, about 4,000 goldfish lanterns will be displayed and visitors will be healed.
About 150 years ago, at the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate, it was inspired by the “Nebuta” of Aomori, and began to be made using dyes from the traditional “Yanai-Shima” fabric.
You can buy them as souvenirs, but there is also a facility where you can experience making goldfish lanterns, so it’s a good idea to try your hand at the time before the festival starts.
Goldfish Lantern Crafting at Yanai Nishigura
The white-walled streets are full of goldfish
There are many goldfish lanterns under the eaves of the old streets!
At night, the lanterns are lit up to create a nice atmosphere.
Take a leisurely stroll while looking at the old signboards that were lit up in the past and the reflection of goldfish in the glass.
However, as you can see, it gets very crowded on festival days, so it’s best to keep your baggage to a minimum.
Turn around! Goldfishs turn
The best part of the festival is the “goldfish nebuta parade” that starts at evening.
Each team has elaborated a huge “goldfish Nebuta” to make it look like a goldfish.
The “Goldfish Nebuta” parade through the city with a shout of “Lassera”.
Just watching them is fun enough to watch, but the powerful spinning of the “goldfish Nebuta” is overwhelming, so I recommend that you watch it in front of your own eyes.
The big intersection in front of the “Museum of Merchants “Muroya No Sono” is where the performance will take place, so please get there early and try to get a good spot in the front row.
The photo was taken during the light hours, but the bright red goldfish floating in the dark night after dark is also very beautiful.
The pullers are not only men!
Don’t miss the Nebuta that is pulled by children and women only!
The spirited pullers are as powerful as men.
End with fireworks
Towards the end of the festival, beautiful fireworks are set off.
If you are in a narrow alleyway, you can’t see it, so when you start to hear the sound, go out to a wide street with good view.
The launch site will be in the direction of the estuary, but if you look in the direction you are facing, you can definitely see it (laughs).
The “Goldfish Lantern Festival” is held on August 13 every year
The Goldfish Lantern Festival is a summer event that welcomes people who have returned to their hometowns for Obon and other festivals with local folk art.
You can see “Goldfish Nebuta” and “Fireworks” on the day of the main festival.
On festival days, the area around the festival site is very crowded, but on normal days, you can take your time to see the lovely streetscape with cute goldfish lanterns displayed in the merchant houses with white walls.
So, please stop by Yanai City even on non-festival days.
In case of rain, some events will be cancelled.
Location: JR Yanai Station to the area of the white-walled townscape (Central Yanai City to Yanai Tsu)
Access: 1 minute walk from JR Yanai Station
