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Friday, 22nd November 2013
In Events In Japan,
'Festival of Light' to illuminate Takenotsuka
Across the world, high streets and shopping centres are being decked out in coloured lights to celebrate the festive season, and despite the fact the Christian event is not a national holiday in Japan, the same thing is happening in the Takenotsuka area of Adachi-ku Tokyo.
December has long been associated with the Hikari no Saiten, or Festival of Light, which sees the trees and sculptures of Motofuchie Park decked out in the most bedazzling display you can possibly imagine.
Around 70,000 LED bulbs are employed to create the delicate shades of fuchsia, scarlet and azure blue that arc through the night sky, in an incredible spectacle that has become immensely popular with tourists and locals alike.
In particular, the park's eight signature trees in the centre are wonderful to watch. Standing at 20 metres high, they are the tallest natural trees in the entire city, and are all the more impressive to observe when decked out in the electronic display.
To experience the full effect, visitors should arrive in the area via the Tobu Sky Tree Line at Takenotsuka Station and walk along to Motofuchie Park as the boulevard leading to the green area will also be spectacularly illuminated.
The lights are arranged around a different theme every year, with the technical inventiveness of the Japanese resulting in a wild and unusual display for each event.
Previous festivals have seen Motofuchie Park populated by illuminated wire frames that have been shaped to look like people and given enormous cartoon-like faces, for example.
Hikari no Saiten kicks off on November 30th and the park will be illuminated from 4:30pm every day until December 25th.
Japan's capital is no stranger to spectacular lighting displays, with the Tokyo Firefly festival transforming the Sumida River and the Sky Tree every year in the month of May.
Written by Mark Smith
Inside Japan UK office
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