‘Magical’ Lantern Festival Held in Sapporo; LED Lights and Helium Filled Lanterns

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:38 JST, October 4, 2023

SAPPORO — Approximately 800 lanterns made of washi Japanese paper floated up into the night sky at Sapporo Lantern Fes. 2023, held Sept. 16 at Nakajima Park in Chuo Ward, Sapporo.

The festival, an annual event that started last year, also featured a production that paired laser beams with elegant Disney songs.

Event participants wrote their wishes on strips of paper and tied them to the lanterns filled with helium and LED lights, and shouted “Let’s fly” upon releasing them, drawing cheers from the crowd.

“It was magical and beautiful seeing so many lanterns in person,” said Natsuno Mizoguchi, 26, of Shiroishi Ward, Sapporo, who attended the event with her mother and two children.