DAY 8 (5/6): STREAM OF LANTERNS, Kaga Yuzen Toro Nagashi (加賀友禅燈ろう流し), Asano River (浅野川), Kanazawa (金沢), Ishikawa Prefecture (石川県), Japan, 2018.06.01

Hyakumangoku Matsuri (百万石まつり) is the main annual festival in Kanazawa.  The three day festival commemorates the entry of Lord Maeda Toshiie into Kanazawa Castle in 1583.  The main event of the festival is the Hyakumangoku Parade, which takes place on the first Saturday in June.  Other festival highlights include folk dances and tea ceremonies at Kenroku-en Garden, and the romantic Kaga Yuzen Toro Nagashi held at Asano River, where 1200 traditional lanterns would be released into the water between Ume-no-Hashi Bridge (梅ノ橋) and Asanogawa Ohashi Bridge (浅野川大橋).  We found out about the festival as we planned the trip, and were fortunate to be at Kanazawa at the right time to witness the Kaga Yuzen Toro Nagashi on our last day in the city.

After visiting Higashi Chaya District, we walked over to the river bank of Asano River in late afternoon.

We sat down on the river embankment near (梅ノ橋) to wait for dusk to fall.

The main ceremonial platform was brightly lit up.

As darkness fell upon, lanterns were released into the peaceful water of Asano River.

Each lantern was decorated with unique design and colours.

Soon, more lanterns came down from upper stream beyond Ume-no-Hashi Bridge (梅ノ橋) .

Asano River was slow and peaceful.  Soon the water was filled with beautiful lanterns.

Staff stood at various locations in the water to “rescue” any lantern that were stuck in the river rocks.

There were speeches and drum performances at the main event platform.

The water was really slow.  Sometimes the lanterns were just moving in circle.

The lanterns gradually made their way downstream towards Asanogawa Bridge (浅野川大橋).

The lanterns became more obvious and beautiful and darkness fell upon.

Lanterns slowly moved over to Asanogawa Bridge (浅野川大橋) towards the central arch.

We left the embankment and walked up to Asanogawa Bridge (浅野川大橋) for another look of the lanterns.

Built in 1922, the 54.4m stone bridge provides an elegant crossing over the Asano River.  From the other side of Asanogawa Bridge (浅野川大橋), we could see the first groups of lanterns emerge from the central archway.

Nets were set up further downstream to capture the lanterns at the end of the event.

Looking backwards to Asanogawa Bridge (浅野川大橋) we could see the lanterns slowly approaching.

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CHUBU (中部地方) 2018, Japan, 2018.05.25 – 06.03
Introduction

Day 1: Tokyo (東京)
1.1 TSUKIJI OUTER MARKET (築地場外市場)
1.2 TSUKIJI INNER MARKET (築地中央卸売市場)
1.3 MORI ART MUSEUM (森美術館), 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT & CAFE KITSUNE

Day 2: Matsumoto (松本)& Kamikochi (上高地)
2.1 MATSUMOTO CASTLE (松本城), Matsumoto (松本)
2.2 “ALL ABOUT MY LOVE”, Yayoi Kusama’s Exhibition at Matsumoto City Museum of Art (松本市美術館), Matsumoto (松本)
2.3 MATSUMOTO PERFORMING ARTS CENTER (まつもと市民芸術館), Matsumoto (松本)
2.4 FROM MATSUMOTO (松本) TO KAMIKOCHI (上高地)
2.5 ARRIVAL IN KAMIKOCHI (上高地), Chūbu-Sangaku National Park (中部山岳国立公園)

Day 3: Kamikochi (上高地)
3.1 MORNING WALK IN KAMIKOCHI (上高地), Nagano Prefecture (長野県)
3.2 DAKESAWA HIKE (岳沢), Kamikochi (上高地)

Day 4: Kamikochi (上高地) & Shirahone Onsen (白骨温泉)
4.1 TAISHO POND (大正池), Kamikochi (上高地)
4.2 RETREAT IN THE JAPANESE ALPS, Shirahone Onsen (白骨温泉)
4.3 MOMENTS OF ESCAPE, Tsuruya Ryokan (つるや旅館), Shirahone Onsen (白骨温泉)

Day 5: Hida-Takayama (飛騨高山)
5.1 CITY IN THE MOUNTAINS, Hida-Takayama (飛騨高山)
5.2 HIDA BEEF (飛騨牛), Hida-Takayama (飛騨高山)
5.3 SAKE (日本酒) BREWERIES, Hida-Takayama (飛騨高山)
5.4 YOSHIJIMA HOUSE (吉島家住宅), Hida-Takayama (飛騨高山)
5.5 HIGASHIYAMA WALKING COURSE (東山遊歩道), Hida-Takayama (飛騨高山)

Day 6: Hida-Takayama (飛騨高山), Shirakawa-go (白川郷) & Ainokura (相倉)
6.1 MIYAGAWA MORNING MARKET (宮川朝市), Hida-Takayama (飛騨高山), Gifu Prefecture (岐阜県)
6.2 OGIMACHI IN THE RAIN, Shirakawa-go (白川郷), Gifu Prefecture (岐阜県)
6.3 SOBA, TEMPLE & LOOKOUT, Shirakawa-go (白川郷)
6.4 RAINY AFTERNOON IN AINOKURA (相倉), Gokayama (五箇山)
6.5 GASSHO MINSHUKU, FLOWER BEDS & RICE PADDY FIELDS, Ainokura (相倉), Gokayama (五箇山)
6.6 CROAKING FROGS AND MOONLIGHT REFLECTIONS, Gokayama (五箇山)

Day 7: Kanazawa (金沢)
7.1 DEPARTURE IN THE RAIN, Ainokura (相倉) to Kanazawa (金沢)
7.2 A SEAFOOD PARADISE – OMICHO MARKET (近江町市場)
7.3 D T Suzuki Museum (鈴木大拙館)
7.4 Kenroku-en Garden (兼六園)
7.5 Oyama Shrine (尾山神社) and Nagamachi Samurai District (長町)
7.6 Nomura Samurai House (武家屋敷跡 野村家), Nagamachi Samurai District (長町)
7.7 Sushi Ippei (一平鮨), Katamachi (片町)

Day 8: Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture (金沢, 石川県)
8.1 Iki Iki Tei (いきいき亭) and Higashide Coffee (東出珈琲店), Omicho Market (近江町市場)
8.2 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art (21世紀美術館)
8.3 Kazuemachi District (主計町茶屋街)
8.4 Higashi Chaya District (東山ひがし茶屋街)
8.5 Kaga Yuzen Toro Nagashi (加賀友禅燈ろう流し), Asano River (浅野川)
8.6 AFTERMATH OF KAGA YUZEN TORO NAGASHI (加賀友禅燈ろう流し)

Day 9 & 10: Tokyo (東京)
9.1 Marunouchi (丸の内) & Nihonbashi (日本橋)
10.1 OEDO ANTIQUE MARKET (大江戸骨董市), Tokyo Forum (東京国際フォーラム)
10.2 FARMER’S MARKET, United Nations University (東京国連大学), Aoyama (青山)