2024 [Lantern Painting Exhibition "Hijiori no tou"] Hijiori Onsen, Yamagata, will be decorated with lanterns.

  • Yamagata
  • Sightseeing
Hijiori Onsen is located in Okura Village, Yamagata Prefecture, at the foot of Gassan, one of the three main peaks of Dewa. The name "Hijiori" comes from the story of an old monk who broke his elbow and was healed by soaking in the hot spring.
Hijiori Onsen Town
This time, we would like to introduce the "Hijiori Lantern Painting Exhibition "Hijiori No Ori", in which the Hijiori Hot Springs are decorated with lanterns. The exhibition is usually held only in summer and fall, but in 2024 it will also be held in spring in conjunction with the Yamagata Spring Tourism Campaign. The spring season will be held from April 27 (Sat) to June 16 (Sun), the summer season from July 12 (Fri) to August 25 (Sun), and the fall season from September 14 (Sat) to October 14 (Mon).
Lantern Painting Exhibition "Hijiori no Toro

Lantern Painting Exhibition "Hijiori no Toro

The "Lantern Painting Exhibition 'Hijiori no tou'" is an event in which lanterns are displayed in front of the eaves of ryokans and stores in the Hijiori hot spring resort district. The night of the onsen town lit by the lanterns is fantastic and enchanting.
Lanterns displayed in front of eaves
The lanterns on display are created by artists with ties to Yamagata. The artists who create the lanterns actually stay in Hijiori Onsen, attend lectures on the history of Hijiori Onsen, visit morning markets and mine sites, and interview inns and local residents to deepen their understanding of the nature, rich food culture, mountain worship, hot-spring cure culture, and other scenes and stories that surround the area before deciding on the theme for their lanterns. The lanterns are made of Tsukayama Washi (Japanese paper).

The lanterns are made of Gassan Washi paper and assembled using traditional Kumiko techniques. In the past, lanterns with themes such as the children of Hijiori, mountain plants, and the legend of the giant snake passed down in Hijiori Onsen were created.
Hijiori ni Mitaite Lanterns (by Keisaku Sugiyama)," themed on the legend of a giant snake
The water-themed lanterns are displayed near the footbaths, and the locations of the lanterns are also carefully selected. It would be even more fun to find out what the theme of the lanterns you find is.
Lanterns displayed in front of eaves

Lanterns unique to Hijiori Onsen Hot Springs

The "Lantern Painting Exhibition "Hijiori no tou"" features new lanterns every year. Here are some of the lanterns as they are filled with various thoughts and feelings.

Minori no En (by Yuriko Asano)

These lanterns depict flowers, fruits, and fields. The flowers depicted on the lanterns are white flowers of the yamaboshi bush that blooms in the elbow folds in summer, and the fruits are nuts that ripen in autumn. The artist, Mr. Asano, drew the lanterns to superimpose the fresh children he met in Hijiori in summer, the growing vegetables in the fields, and the changing plants in the mountains.
Minori no En (by Yuriko Asano)

Yakusui (medicinal water) at Hijiori Hot Springs, by Yui Sasaki

The torii gate and shrine pavilion of Yakushi Shrine, located near the public bathhouse "Kami-no-yu" in Hijiori Onsen, are also depicted. The theme of this lantern is based on the legend that "an old monk who broke his elbow took a bath in the Hijiori hot spring, and his wound was healed," which is the origin of the name of Hijiori Onsen. The lanterns are painted with the wish that the medicinal water of Hijiori will continue to heal many people in the future.
Yakusui (medicinal water) at Hijiori Hot Springs, by Yui Sasaki

A Year of Funghi by Kazuko Furuta

The log-like picture depicted is a wooden piece for cultivating nameko mushrooms called "Tanekoma. Nameko mushrooms are a specialty of Okura Village, and the "Nameko and Kokeshi Festival" is held annually in the fall, where nameko mushroom soup is served and a fresh nameko mushroom catching contest is conducted. During his stay in Hijiori Onsen, the artist Mr. Furuta participated in the process of making nameko mushroom seedpods and decided to paint nameko mushroom lanterns. In addition to nameko mushrooms, the lantern also depicts kokeshi dolls, a traditional Hijiori handicraft, and midsummer heat and blue mold, which nameko mushrooms do not like.
A Year of Funghi by Kazuko Furuta
*The lanterns introduced here were introduced in 2022.

A night stroll in Hijiori Onsen lit by lanterns

We introduced the "Lantern Painting Exhibition "Hijiori no tou" held in Hijiori Onsen. You will want to see them in person at the site, as they are created on themes unique to the area, such as flowers and local specialties that bloom in the area. How about visiting Hijiori Onsen on your next hot spring trip?

Lantern Painting Exhibition "Hijiori no Toro" Details

Period:
Yamagata Spring Tourism Campaign Special Lighting: April 27 (Sat) - June 16 (Sun), 2024
Summer: July 12 (Fri) - August 25 (Sun), 2024
Autumn: September 14 (Sat) - October 14 (Mon), 2024
■ Lighting Hours:
18:00 - 20:30
■ Location:
Hijiori Onsen Town (at each inn) (The display will be held at the eaves of each store) *The display will not be held indoors (in the Touji rooms).
JR East View Dynamic Rail Package" for train + accommodation in Yamagata area.

Let's go to "Lantern Painting Exhibition "Hijiori no tou"" on a weekday!

Why don't you enjoy your trip more by taking a discount trip on weekdays? If it is a weekday when it is not crowded, you may be able to take more wonderful photos than usual in a hot spring resort area with fewer crowds!

Let's go anywhere with your guess at the "Lantern Painting Exhibition Hijiori no Toro"!

If you are traveling with your guess, you will be excited no matter where you go! It's as if I'm on a hot spring trip with my guess! My guess is off every day, so all I have to do is to take my own vacation. The theme and destination are up to you!

JR East is also proposing other new ways to enjoy your trip! Please check the official website for details.
[Official Website] Travel, Weekdays
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