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[Image1]A few years ago, around this same season, I visited Tamura Shrine in Kagawa Prefecture to pay my res
[Image2]A few years ago, around this same season, I visited Tamura Shrine in Kagawa Prefecture to pay my res
[Image3]A few years ago, around this same season, I visited Tamura Shrine in Kagawa Prefecture to pay my res
[Image4]A few years ago, around this same season, I visited Tamura Shrine in Kagawa Prefecture to pay my res
[Image5]A few years ago, around this same season, I visited Tamura Shrine in Kagawa Prefecture to pay my res
[Image6]A few years ago, around this same season, I visited Tamura Shrine in Kagawa Prefecture to pay my res
[Image7]A few years ago, around this same season, I visited Tamura Shrine in Kagawa Prefecture to pay my res
[Image8]A few years ago, around this same season, I visited Tamura Shrine in Kagawa Prefecture to pay my res

A few years ago, around this same season, I visited Tamura Shrine in Kagawa Prefecture to pay my respects. This shrine was not only the highest-ranking shrine in old Sanuki Province, it is also the place of worship for Hotei among the Sanuki Seven Lucky Gods, often drawing many people who come to pray for improved fortune.

Beside the temizuya, a stack of special “mizu-uranai” fortune papers sat waiting. I was told that if you place the paper in water, the fortune slowly appears—mysterious and richly ceremonial.

The most striking sight was the vermilion, continuous torii pathway. In the center of the path stood a huge Sanuki lion head. Its gold-and-red lion face, solemn and ornate, symbolizes the local lion dance and vividly expresses the region’s character.

Since it was the year’s end, local people gathered old amulets and dolls in one spot to be taken to the shrine for a doll memorial ritual. That careful farewell to old items and the feelings they carried made the visit more than a tour of historic sites; it let me feel the local warmth and the community’s respect for tradition.

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Dec. 15, 2025
Last Saturday I went with friends from Tokyo to Sanuki Mannou Park in Kagawa Prefecture to see a breathtaking winter light show. I had expected only a few scattered displays, but as soon as we stepped through the gate we were met by a dazzling sea of LED lights that turned the whole park into a dreamlike scene. They say the installation used as many as 650,000 bulbs, and the scale left us amazed! This hilly area of about 3.2 square kilometers becomes a place of irresistible, camera-clicking beauty after dark. The stunning illumination is beloved by visitors and, thanks to its unique appeal, earned certification in 2024 as a Japan Night View Heritage Site in the Lighting Nightscape category. In the same year it also took fourth place in the Entertainment category at the International Lighting Design Awards. Facing such a striking winter nightscape, I assumed the entrance fee would be steep. To my surprise, this spectacular winter event is very affordable: children under 15 enter free, adult tickets cost just 450 yen, plus a 300 yen parking fee. Such great value made us exclaim with delight! The lights dominate your view no matter where you walk, so it’s no wonder they have been a winter fixture in Kagawa for twenty years. I’m so grateful to my friend for making it possible to experience this unforgettable show. The displays at Mannou Park may not be as varied or complex as those in big cities, but their ability to seize your attention and immerse you in a vast, romantic sea of lights makes the park an excellent winter destination worth a special trip.