Luminarie

Shortly after Carolyn left, the Luminarie got under way in Kobe. The Luminarie is a yearly event put on by the city to commemorate the Great Hanshin earthquake. For about two weeks in December, a huge light display is put up down one of the downtown streets leading to an even larger display in the park along Flower Road (the main drag). From 6pm to 10pm every night during the event, the roads around the Luminarie are shut down to allow for huge crowds of tourists and locals to flow (or at times push) though the display. The lights were apparently donated by the Italian government and are all hand painted. The event started the December after the earthquake and was suppose to continue for only 10 years as Kobe recovered from the emotional and economic devastation of the earthquake. It has become so popular, however, that it continued even after 2005, which was suppose to be the last year. There are apparently rumours ever year that this will be the last one. The even attracts several million people every year. While this is clearly an economic boon to Kobe, many of the shop keepers apparently complained when the even was closer to Christmas because the huge lines of people block pedestrians from getting to the stores along the lighted walk - many of them major department stores. It really is a mob scene. The Luminarie has since been pushed to earlier in December, though I suspect the shops along the lighted boulevard probably still dread Luminarie season.

Almost everyone I had talked to gave a tepid reaction to the event. I heard stories of hours in line only to be quickly pushed through the display by the crowds - no time for photos, cold, long waits. It wasn't sounding all that great, honestly. We decided that we had to do it at least once, though, so the first Friday that the display was up, Russell and I met downtown after I got off work and we headed to the line. We timed it right, as it turned out. The line was long, but it wasn't tightly packed and moved along at a walking pace. It was easy to pull aside and take pictures, there was little pushing or waiting and everyone was generally in good spirits and enjoying themselves. There was an impressive mob of people, though, and it apparently grew and grew as the nights wore on. I can;t imagine what the last night must have been like two weeks later... ugh.

An unexpected bonus was the huge spread of food carts at the end of the display. Russell and I happily plunged in. Fair food in Japan is simply awesome. In fact, we skipped the show on a later night and just went for dinner at the carts. I had a roasted sweet potato that was about the best thing I've ever tasted in my life. I have eagerly kept an eye out for further stands selling sweet potatoes, but have had no luck.