Facts Of The Week
Prefecture: Niigata
Credits to Research Team: Syahiran
Tsunan Yuki Matsuri
I recently played Horizon Zero Dawn and there was this cut-scene that showed some lanterns flying around the sky, it reminded me of the time I watched a documentary from Waku Waku Japan that is similar to this kind of scene.
It is said that Tsunan town is one of the heaviest snowfall places in the world. Tsunan town is located in Nakauonuma-gun, Niigata, and is also famous as a rice granary(rice storehouse for storing rice).
The village of the cold winter, this festival celebrates the coming of warm spring with the end of winter.
The people who live in this area has a way of thinking that “snow” is from an object of fighting to an object of coexistence. This is how the festival was developed and nurtured.
The sky lanterns were used as a means of communication 770 years ago, it became a messenger of the light to send a wish to the sky now. People attending this festival could be wishing for business prosperity, family well being, success for the examinations , or to view and admire the scenery and communicate with friends and families.
The festival is held during the winter season, mainly in the month of march . The date of the festival is on 11 march from 11am to 8.30pm every year.
Take a trip to the Niigata Prefecture in March and witness a breathtaking view of floating lanterns at the Tsunan Yuki Matsuri or the snow festival. The town has one of the heaviest snowfalls in the world. During the festival, as darkness falls everyone makes their way to the ski slopes. The beauty of the gorgeous spectacle is there for all to behold when over 1,000 glowing lanterns are released in the snowy backdrop, amid gasps of amazement from the crowd. The light snowfall looks like glitter in the radiance of the lanterns. Entry to the festival is free and there are a number of food stalls and activities available to keep visitors occupied till it is time for the main event. See the video on the link below to see the festival experience.
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=70&v=44uNBVw9RN4
REFERENCE:
http://diversity-finder.net/tourism/tsunan-yuki-matsuri-tsunan-snow-festival
https://enjoyniigata.com/en/detail/page/detail/7940
https://www.khaleejtimes.com/matsuri-mania-in-japan
https://snowcountryblog.wordpress.com/2016/03/18/tsunan-snow-festival-sky-lanterns/