For ten days in December (December 12th - December 21st) the mountainside area of Arashiyama in western Kyoto is brilliantly illuminated with open air lanterns and bright lights that arc through trees and bamboo to make an amazing nighttime sight- the Arashiyama Hanat?ro Festival. When the Kyoto Fan team headed over to start shooting, we were lucky enough to have picked a snow day, which led to an even more breathtaking visual!

Starting at 5pm the lights turn on and the early winter evening is brightened until 8:30pm with several temples and shrines along the light-up route holding special night opens for tourists. The Arashiyama area is absolutely gorgeous in the daytime, and it is equally beautiful in a different way at night. The most popular public areas such as the Togetsuky? Bridge and the Bamboo Forest are lined with lights path-side and also more artistic works of arranged lighting and painted lanterns. You can even find large works of ikebana flower arrangements courtesy the Kyoto Ikebana Association placed here and there along the way.
Around 5 kilometers of pathways are wired up for the "Light and Blossoms Pathway" sponsored by ROHM, an electronic parts manufacturer based here in Kyoto. From the Hankyu Arashiyama Station you can head to H?rin-ji and see kalaedoscopic projections on the temple buildings or head over to the riverside park with student art displays and pale blue lights shining on the famous Togetsuky? Bridge. Over the river you...