Yamaguchi Tanabata Lantern Festival

Said to have begun about 600 years ago as a Bon spirit festival under the Ouchi clan, this is one of Yamaguchi's signature summer traditions. On the nights of August 6 and 7, the central arcades, the Odono area and Yuda Onsen are hung with tens of thousands of red paper lanterns lit by real candle flames, forming glowing tunnels of red light. An 8-meter lantern tree and a mini tree for wish strips appear, along with dance, yosakoi and taiko performances. It ranks among Japan's three great fire festivals.