Floating Lanterns in Peace Memorial Park
Once the sun starts to go down, people line up and write messages of peace on colorful origami paper and wait in long lines that wind around the park before they reach the steps that lead down to the Otagawa river.
At the water’s edge, they release these beautiful lanterns hoping for peace, happiness, love, and friendship.
Early in the evening the lanterns flow toward the sea and later on, they change course and flow upriver. It is a beautiful, peaceful end to a day paying respects to those who lost their lives while hoping for a better future.