Bamboo Winter Lights: Utsunomiya’s Magical Nightscape Comes to Life in a Limited-Time Event

The Yomiuri Shimbun

7:00 JST, November 20, 2023

UTSUNOMIYA — The Bamboo Winter Lights forest illumination event began at Wakayama Farm in Utsunomiya on Saturday, running until Feb. 25.

The farm usually illuminates the bamboo forest on weekends, but during the winter season, the lights change color and move in sync with music. Supervised by a nightscape critic and a bamboo light artist, the theme of the event is “a world of beautiful bamboo nights adorned with light.”

About 300 people attended the lighting ceremony on Saturday, walking through the illuminated bamboo forest. Visitors were awestruck by the magical scene, expressing admiration, saying, “It’s beautiful.” Taro Wakayama, the head of the farm, said, “This is our first light-up since being registered as a Night View Heritage of Japan. We’re very enthusiastic. We want people of all ages to come and appreciate the beauty of our bamboo.”

The forest is lit up on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays from sunset to 8 p.m. Admission fees are ¥1,500 for adults, ¥1,000 for elementary and junior high school students, and ¥500 for children age 3-to-5. The farm is closed from Dec. 30 to Jan. 4.