In the height of summer, about 150 delicate lanterns are gently suspended along Honjin Street, their soft glow casting a warm, nostalgic light over the old townscape.

The scene stirs a quiet sense of travel and time gone by.

While lanterns placed on the ground are common across Japan, these rare hanging lanterns are a unique feature of Yakage.

They blend seamlessly into the historic streets, evoking the graceful atmosphere of a traditional post town.

Accompanied by the gentle melody of the “Yakage Kouta”—revived after 60 years—forty dancers in matching yukata and traditional woven hats take to the streets to perform the “Yakage Kouta Dance.”

Their slow, flowing hand gestures seem to spin a quiet spell, as if time itself begins to drift and soften.