Japanese Lantern Lighting Festival at Como Park

Sunday evening I attended the annual Japanese Lantern Lighting Festival in Como Park.  St. Paul is sister city to Nagasaki, Japan. Como Park Zoo and Conservatory, which is a 10 minute walk from our home, maintains a beautiful Japanese Garden and is co-sponsor of this event that celebrates Japanese tradition through music, dance, crafts, martial arts and lantern lighting. Mu Daiko, a professional taiko ensemble, gave an energetic performance. Several artisans showed traditional crafts — Saori weaving, Shibori, and pottery. The evening couldn’t have been more perfect! Here are a few photos of the main festivities. Click each photo to see the larger version. The last one is especially beautiful — lanterns on the pond with the Conservatory in the background.