Colors the mid-summer night of a old temple near Enoshima

Ryukoji Temple, a temple in not so far away from Enoshima Island and with several hundreds year history, is usually covered with silence. But on this Saturday of the event day, many staff of the illumination event are run around the precincts and line up the bamboo lanterns.
However, it is possible to visit and worship the temple during the line up works.
The work is completed at around 16:30 and only waiting for sunset to ignite the lanterns.

When the summer slow sun finally dropping to the west and the sky gets blue more and more, the lights of lanterns start lighting. The illumination of precincts is turned on at the same time, and the historical buildings are dyed various colors.

When you pass through the entrance gate of the temple, there is the fantastic space spreads throughout the precincts where the light of numberless bamboo lanterns wavers.
This lantern put a candle in the trunk of a bamboo tree which cut into various lengths and lights it.

Originally, this lantern event was flowing lanterns like the above photo in a nearby river as an "Okuribi" for "Obon" season ("Okuribi" is ceremonial bonfire to seeing off the spirits of ancestry of family on the final night of Obon. "Obon" is a period and traditional customs of Japan that the spirits of ancestry of family goes home during the middle of summer days.).
However, the event is transformed to such a style in 2010, to environmental protection. Since then, the scale of the event such as the number of lanterns and period of holding has been expanding year by year.

A number of bamboo lanterns lined up on the ground of the precincts of old temple emerges various patterns of light in the night dark, such as a letter of Japanese Kanji, a image of dragon and more. There is also a fine embossed decoration combined with lanterns. While walking around the precincts, you can see these decorations.

The colorful lights illuminate the buildings of old temple. It is unusual sight in Japan to make flashy light-up decoration like this at an old temple. And during the event period, a live music concert will be held at the main temple building.
In the end of the event on Sunday (around 21:00), you can take a favorite bamboo lantern to home for free!

In 2017, the bamboo lanterns leave the precincts of Ryukoji Temple for the first time in history and was also exhibited in the surrounding streets. We could see the rare sight of the Enoden train passing near the bamboo lanterns in shopping street in Koshigoe town.