The Yamaguchi Tanabata Lantern festival is a traditional summer event with an impressive history spanning approximately 600 years. It's said that in the Muromachi period, Ouchi Morimi (one of the heads of the Ouchi clan that ruled Yamaguchi from the 14th to 16th centuries) lit a high bamboo lantern during Obon to pray for the souls of his ancestors, and this inspired subsequent events.
The festival includes tens of thousands of red lanterns illuminated by candlelight, adding color to the shopping streets of Yamaguchi City. The beautiful atmosphere has even been certified as a night view heritage of Japan if you needed any extra incentive to check it out.
