On February 21st in 2015, I traveled to Nagasaki to see Nagasaki Lantern Festival. I had wanted to see this famous winter festival in Nagasaki for so long and at last my wish was fulfilled! First, I headed for Minato-koen Park in Shinchi Chinatown, which is the main venue of the festival. I lit an incense stick and prayed at the altar of Guan Yu, the hero of 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms', a famous Chinese novel. Unfortunately a cold rain was falling incessantly, but it made the wet lanterns cast gleaming, brilliant lights. What a gorgeous festival of lights this is!
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Guan Yu Altar at Chinese New Year
Lantern Festival at Shinchi Chinatown in Nagasaki

Community writer

Translated by Takako Sakamoto
Community writer

Famous altar of Guan Yu at Minato-koen Park. I was flabbergasted to see peculiar gifts offered at the altar! (Photo: Masayoshi Hirose)

Despite the unfortunate rain, flickering lights warmed my heart (Photo: Masayoshi Hirose)

Red red red everywhere! (Photo: Masayoshi Hirose)

Look up to find gentle lights wrapping around us (Photo: Masayoshi Hirose)

There is a totally different world stretching ahead on the other side of the round window (Photo: Masayoshi Hirose)

Nagasaki Lantern Festival. I'd never seen these lanterns lit up before. (Photo: Masayoshi Hirose)

Come to think of it, it's rare to see lit lanterns these days except for a special occasion like this (Photo: Masayoshi Hirose)

There are many photographers here and if you don't pay attention some of them will be in your photos, to your dismay! (Photo: Masayoshi Hirose)

A pavilion. Most of the streets are one-way. (Photo: Masayoshi Hirose)

A festival of light and beauty (Photo: Masayoshi Hirose)
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