Aso Shrine and Chochin(Lanterns) Festival
Today is April 14.
Kumamoto Prefecture was hit by a series of major earthquakes on April 14 and 16, 2016 (the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake).
It has been 9 years since the earthquake.
The main damage was in Mashiki Town, Kumamoto Prefecture, but there was also extensive damage in other areas, including the collapse of the Aso Ohashi Bridge here in Aso City.
In Aso Shrine, the tower gate, a nationally designated important cultural property, was completely destroyed. The sight of the collapsed gate was a shock to many people.
It took seven and a half years of post-disaster restoration work for the tower gate, which was completed in December 2023.
We visited Aso Shrine for the first time after the restoration was completed. The tower gate was restored to its splendid appearance.
On the day of the festival held during the cherry blossom season, tatami mats are laid on the road in the shopping street in front of the Aso Shrine. This is a unique shopping street where visitors can view the cherry blossoms on tatami mats.
Our visit was on April 12. The cherry blossoms had begun to fall.
Many lanterns lined the pathway leading to a small shrine in the shopping district.
They have 1,000 lanterns lined up.
We walked down the lantern aisle.
Today's (April 4, 2025) local newspaper reported about the lanterns.
It seems that the “Chochin Festival” had begun on April 12 when we visited.
Lantern is called "Chochin" in Japanese.
The Chochin festival, which started as a result of the restoration of the rōmon gate, is now being held for the third time.
