At Lake Kawaguchi in Yamanashi Prefecture, lantern nagashi (floating lanterns) was held to commemorate ancestors during the Obon period.
At Lake Kawaguchi in Fujikawaguchiko Town, lantern floating is held at this time every year to commemorate the ancestors and the deceased.
For the first time in three years, participation from the general public was also invited, and a total of about 2,000 people visited the venue.
The participants wrote messages and illustrations as they wished to start making lanterns.
And when I stretched out my hand from the shore of the lake and gently floated the lantern, I quietly put my hands together and offered a prayer.
Around 7:00 pm when the sky started to darken, nearly 1,000 lanterns lit up against the background of Mt.
A couple in their 60s who participated said, "It was my first time participating, but I was able to appreciate my ancestors in a solemn atmosphere."
In order to protect the environment of the lake, the executive committee formed by the town's tourism federation collects all the lanterns that have been washed away.