Nara Park is a 660 hectare tourist spot that has World Heritage status, and includes Todaiji Temple, famous for its massive Buddha statue, as well as Shosoin Temple. The park, where deer wander about the green grass, is dotted with famous spots and sites that illustrate Nara Period history, and has a distinctly peaceful atmosphere.
Did you know that during the summer, To-Kae, a lantern festival is held at Nara Park? Twenty-thousand lanterns are placed each day somewhere in the sprawling park, for a total of 200,000 throughout the fantastic event.
A toka (lantern flower) is so-named because a flower shape appears on the wick of the burning candles. Since long ago, when a toka has been formed, it has been seen as an auspicious sign. Due to this history, each lantern is lit with the wish that "All who visit the festival might have happiness."
The sight of the festival is something akin to seeing stars shining on the face of the earth, or perhaps seeing flowers blooming amid the night. Depending on the place, when, and the state at time one views, the candle light dances about as if by magic.
The sides of paths are lit as if to guide visitors, and the flames are arranged so as to cause famous places and historic sites to stand out. The carpet of light created at the climax in Ukigumo Park achieves a magnificent harmony between the arts of antiquity and the craft of modern man.
Throughout the venue, the soft sounds of the piano, ocarina, and erhu serenade visitors, giving a feeling of romance and seemingly connecting 1300 years of history to the present.
Actually, the To-Kae was originally conceived to draw summer visitors back to Nara from the modern amusement parks in surrounding prefectures, which had begun to spring up. However, it now functions not as a mere lure to guests, but has been shaped by people in the community, and is a mainstay event beloved by citizens. This festival, created in modern times, has become a solid, new tradition, breathing life into the old capital of Japan.
Reference Websites
▽Nara To-Kae
http://www.toukae.jp/tokae_e/index.
html
▽Nara City Sightseeing Information
Center
http://narashikanko.jp/en/index.html
Photos courtesy: Nara City Sightseeing Information Center
