Kuzuryu Festival – Eihei-ji Temple Floating Lantern Festival

The Eihei-ji Temple Floating Lantern Festival is a Bon memorial service that draws nearly 30,000 people from all over Japan. Following Buddhist services performed by high-ranking monks and apprentice monks at Eihei-ji Temple, one of the main temples of the Soto sect of Buddhism, 10,000 lanterns are set afloat on the Kuzuryu River. The bands of light created by the scene are sublime and wondrous. The finale of the festival climaxes in a brilliant palette of light cast by multicolored fireworks.