Kurokawa Onsen is located in Kumamoto Prefecture and surrounded by mountains. It is a countryside onsen town far away from highways and stations.
Starting from winter 2012 and this year is the 13th anniversary of holding an illumination event called Yu Akari. About 300 of the sphere Mari lanterns and 2 meters of cylindrical Tsutsu lanterns are arranged to naturally blend in.
The symbol of Yu Akari’s Mari lantern is made from 9 bamboo strips tied up to make a sphere. Those are hand made by people who engage in Kurokawa onsen every year.
Japan is currently facing challenges with managing bamboo, and Kurokawa Onsen is also experiencing its own difficulties. Bamboo grows rapidly, and if it is not consistently maintained, other plants wither, which negatively impacts the mountain ecosystem. Yu Akari was started as part of the bamboo thinning and revitalization efforts to preserve the beauty and ecological richness of the area.
On a cold winter night, the atmosphere is quite different from the daytime, as the soft, warm glow of the Mari lanterns lights up the onsen town in a subtle and profound way. After enjoying Yu Akari, take your time and warm up in the onsen.
Date
Saturday, December 21st, 2024 - Monday, March 31st, 2025
Time
5:00 pm - 9:30 pm