{"id":2502,"date":"2025-10-10T06:00:22","date_gmt":"2025-10-10T13:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/?p=2502"},"modified":"2025-10-10T06:00:22","modified_gmt":"2025-10-10T13:00:22","slug":"mino-citys-traditional-paper-lanterns-illuminate-its-historic-streets-this-fall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/?p=2502","title":{"rendered":"Mino City\u2019s traditional paper lanterns illuminate its historic streets this fall"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The annual exhibition creates an enchanting town of light amid the fiery colors of autumn trees.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Nestled in the mountains of Gifu in central Japan are the charming old streets of Mino City<\/strong>, one of Japan\u2019s three famous Japanese paper-producing regions<\/strong>. Every autumn, these traditional merchant houses<\/strong> bask in the gentle light emitting from hundreds of glowing paper lanterns<\/strong> as part of the Mino Washi Akari Art Exhibition<\/strong>, which has over 30 years of history. For nearly two months, this picturesque district transforms into an outdoor gallery of traditional handmade paper art, from creators all over the country.<\/p>\n

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This year\u2019s exhibition runs from October 12<\/strong> to November 30<\/strong>, and is divided into two parts<\/strong>. The first part<\/strong>, between October 12 and 24, is a showcase of around 300 completely new washi artworks<\/strong>, from professional artists to students and families. Each delicate piece of art is displayed securely inside an acrylic case<\/strong> to ensure that they remain safe from the elements, while also allowing the works to glisten beautifully even during the rain.<\/p>\n

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Despite the area being an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings<\/strong>, it is filled with public roads. However, on October 18<\/strong>, it is Pedestrian Paradise Day<\/strong>, when the entire district becomes car-free<\/strong>, allowing visitors to truly savor the historic townscape, freely taking photos as they stroll along the roads. If you want to get some really good shots of the exhibition, then this is the time, as for one day only the cases around the artworks will be removed<\/strong> for unimpeded appreciation of the talent that went into creating them.<\/p>\n

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Make sure to also get some shots of the famed udatsu<\/strong>, fire walls built on both sides of the roofs, which were often a means of competition between the different merchant families to see who could create the most magnificent ones.<\/p>\n

\u25bc You can see the udatsu on the roofs, jutting out between the buildings.<\/p>\n

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There are even opportunities to enjoy traditional performances, such as Mino Nagashi Niwaka<\/strong>, which is a local short play, and a concert by Ryoko Yokota<\/strong>, who comes from the city.<\/p>\n

The second part<\/strong>, between October 25 and November 30, will bring back about 140 award-winning works from past years<\/strong> for a perfect display amid the brilliant red and gold foliage seen in the city each November.<\/p>\n

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While visiting, be sure to take the time to explore the city\u2019s seasonal scenic spots. Oyada Momiji Valley<\/strong> is home to about 3,000 maple trees<\/strong> and offers breathtaking views of the vibrant leaves.<\/p>\n

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Another must-see is Sukeemonsa\u2019s Maple Trees<\/strong>, which are said to have been brought back as seedlings from the famous Arashiyama in Kyoto after a paper merchant returned from his visit to the city.<\/p>\n

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The illuminated night-time landscape<\/strong> is reflected in the nearby Itadori River for a truly enchanting sight.<\/p>\n

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To fully enjoy your time in the region, visitors are encouraged to stay overnight in one of Mino\u2019s cozy inns<\/strong>, where not only are you treated to traditional cuisine and the glow of washi lights outside the window, you\u2019ll also be surrounded by one of the most stunning examples of the beauty of autumn in Japan, and it\u2019s only a two-hour train ride from Nagoya Station<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

This annual celebration of art, culture and history combine together to create an unforgettable opportunity as you meander through the historic streets, under the gentle glow of Mino\u2019s handmade lanterns.<\/p>\n

Related: Mino tourism and history<\/a>, Mino accommodation<\/a>
\n<\/em>Source and images: PR Times<\/a>
\n\u25cf Want to hear about SoraNews24\u2019s latest articles as soon as they\u2019re published? Follow us on Facebook<\/a> and Twitter<\/a>!
\n<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The annual exhibition creates an enchanting town of light amid the fiery colors of autumn trees. Nestled in the mountains of Gifu in central Japan are the charming old streets…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2502","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-rss"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2502","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2502"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2502\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2502"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2502"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/catbradley.io\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2502"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}