Taga Taisha Lantern Festival 多賀大社万燈祭
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Held during Aug. 3-5 at Taga Taisha Shrine, the Mantosai or 10,000-Lantern Festival is a night festival when numerous lanterns are lit within the shrine grounds. The lanterns are for the repose of ancestral spirits.
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Taga Taisha Shrine torii near Taga Taisha-mae Station. MAP
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Road to Taga Taisha Shrine
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Homes along the way are decorated.
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Near the shrine entrance are the usual food stalls.
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Welcome to Taga
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Taga Taisha Shrine torii
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Mantosai sign under the torii
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Arched bridge leading to shrine gate.
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Kids carrying mikoshi portable shrine. They went to the train station.
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Taga Taisha's lanterns come in five sizes. Each one represents a donation. The donar's name is on the lantern. The biggest lantern requires a donation of 20,000 yen.
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Each lantern is lit with a small lightbulb. (No candles)
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Festival schedule, starting at 5:30 pm and ending after 9 pm.
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Approaching the main shrine hall.
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These lanterns above are the smallest ones, requiring a donation of only 1,500 yen. They are the most numerous.
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Main shrine hall
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These lanterns hanging in the main shrine hall must be the most expensive ones.
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The shrine also recently got its roof rethatched. The roof looked spanking new.
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As evening approaches, the crowd increases.
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Torii with lanterns lit
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Gate to shrine
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Direct path to Taga Taisha Shrine hall
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Lanterns at night
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Entertainment on stage
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Entertainment with a dragon dance
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Dragon dance
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Shishimai lion dance
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Lantern-lit path to Taga Taisha
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