Goldfish Lantern – Asakusa

I found a whole string of these goldfish shaped lanterns hanging outside a shop in Asakusa the other day. Aren’t they beautiful? When I edited the photos I found the text on one of them, “白壁のやない”, which I googled and found to be a gorgeous place in Yamaguchi Prefecture. I know have a sudden craving to visit the city of Yanai!

Mitama Matsuri Lanterns

Here’s some more snapshots of the fabulously beautiful Mitama Matsuri paper lanterns. You buy these at a special counter and the shrine will then write your name and place them around the shrine grounds on these large wooden frames. The whole image is almost breathtaking at dusk, and it looks fantastic even at night. Some of the visitors were wonderfully dressed up in traditional summer yukata, while others were just plain wonderful. I can’t wait for next years Mitama Matsuri here at the Yasukuni Shrine!