Every autumn, Mino City hosts the Mino Washi Akari Art Festival. Mino Washi Akari Art is a form of lamp art that creatively utilizes the softness and warmth of Mino Washi to project the interplay of "darkness and light" and "light and shadow". Led by the annual festival, the exquisite lights emitted by Mino Washi attract numerous visitors, not only from Japan but also from around the world.
The Mino Washi Akari Art Festival is held annually and has been popular since its inception in 1994. The festival aims to revitalize Mino Washi, a traditional industry that has a history of over 1300 years, as well as the Udatsu Preservation District, which is home to important traditional architecture. During the event, the Udatsu Preservation District is adorned with creatively sculpted Mino Washi artworks that are submitted from various locations across Japan. The lights shining through the softness and beauty of Mino Washi, combined with the traditional allure of the streets, create a truly magnificent spectacle.
The Udatsu Preservation District is where the Mino Washi Akari Art
Festival is held.
This district is a historically important townscape registered
as a National Important Preservation District for Groups of Historic Buildings.
Due to its location on top of a hill, the town had limited access to water and was prone to frequent fires in the past. Following the Great Fire in 1723, the townspeople became more conscious of fire prevention, leading to the widening of the streets in Ichibancho and Nibancho. These streets have remained largely unchanged over time and are now part of the town's present-day layout. Other features such as "udatsu," which are firewalls, and "bansui," a network of water sources for fire prevention, can be found throughout the town, serving as protective measures against fires.
Udatsu refers to the firewalls raised at both ends of the roofs to prevent the spread of fires. It is believed that only wealthy individuals could afford to have udatsu, often featuring elaborate designs. This gave rise to the expression "udatsu ga agaranai," which metaphorically means not being able to rise in status or being prevented from advancement. During the festival, approximately 400 light artworks will be displayed in the charming townscape, with unique udatsu designs adorning each house.
The town still exudes a rich historical atmosphere as a merchant town that thrived through the trade of Mino Washi until the Showa period. Currently, it is revitalized by the Mino Washi Akari Art Festival and the recognition of "Honminoshi" as a World Heritage Site. Among the houses in the district are shops selling souvenirs as well as a cafe area for the enjoyment of visitors!
The Mino Washi Akari Festival is only for a short time, but you can see the award-winning works all year round at the Mino Washi Akari Art Museum.
The festival lanterns are only on display for a short time, but selected lanterns from each year are on display at the Mino Washi Akari Art Museum.
First Floor
On the first floor, there is a museum shop selling Akari art products. The store offers a variety of artistic products made of Washi paper, such as fans, cards, lanterns, and many other Washi products, including kits for making lanterns! Buy Washi products and enjoy them at home!
Second Floor
The second floor resembles the streets of the Mino Washi Akari Art Festival. It is a museum where award-winning works from the festival are displayed in a space designed to imitate the atmosphere of the Udatsu Preservation District at night. Visitors can enjoy the soft and warm light emitted by the Mino Washi paper and take photographs.
Exterior Design
Please take a look not only at the exhibition rooms and the shop, but also at the exterior design of the building. The two-storey wooden structure was built in 1941 as the Minocho Industrial Hall, characterised by its horizontal exterior design. The building is the largest surviving wooden building from the Showa era (1926-1989) in Mino and is designated as a "Registered Tangible Cultural Property".
Mino Washi Akari Art has made its mark beyond Japan, exhibiting 100 works at the Taiwan Lantern Festival in 2018, 2019, and 2022. The Taiwan Lantern Festival is one of the largest light festivals in Taiwan, attracting visitors from all over the world, where thousands of lanterns illuminate the event site. In 2018 and 2019, the mayor and a delegation of 24 citizens visited the host city of the Taiwan Lantern Festival. The Mino Washi Akari Art showcased at the 2022 festival received mention in several local media outlets. The reputation of Mino Washi Akari Art is expanding globally!
Additionally, fifty pieces of Mino Washi light art will be exhibited at the "Taiwan Lantern Festival in Tainan 2024," which will be held from February 3 to March 10. How about visiting to witness the captivating Mino Washi Akari Art that continues to fascinate the world?
After spending the day enjoying the fantastic light art exhibition, why not relax at a hotel in Mino to recover from the fatigue of your journey?
Mino City offers accommodations and hotels with views of the Nagara River.
This hotel is the perfect location to enjoy Mino City and offers healing hospitality and a comfortable stay to its visitors. The landscape visible from the room windows is spectacular, showcasing the Nagara River and the lush green mountains. You can savor the picturesque views of Mino throughout your stay.
For your comfort, the hotel provides amenities such as free Wi-Fi, TVs, and comfortable beds. Additionally, you will experience the warm hospitality that has been passed down from generation to generation. To enhance your experience, you can also order a breakfast box handmade with regional river fish, high-quality meats, and fresh local vegetables.
Mino Ryokufusou is highly recommended for those who prefer a good old-fashioned Japanese atmosphere. It overlooks the Nagara River with the Mino Bridge, a nationally designated important cultural asset. The udatsu-lined area is only a 10-minute walk away, making it a perfect base for sightseeing in Mino City.
The attractive dishes are made from an abundance of seasonal ingredients: 'ayu (sweet fish) dishes from the clear Nagara River' in summer and 'fuyu nabe (hot pot with miso broth)' in winter, which combines two types of special miso for a rich flavour. In addition, Mino Washi Akari Art is displayed along the path to the main baths, emitting a soft light that is unique to Mino Washi Lighting.
