Yamaga Tōrō Roman Hyakka Hyakusai Travel Guide: Winter Lights in Kumamoto
The Yamaga Tōrō Roman Hyakka Hyakusai is an event that colors the winter nights of Yamaga City, Kumamoto Prefecture, with lights made of washi paper umbrellas and bamboo.
A winter counterpart to the summer Yamaga Lantern Festival (Yamaga Tōrō Matsuri), it features thousands of candlelights softly illuminating the retro townscape of the Buzen Kaidō road.
Walking along the Buzen Kaidō, where old townscapes remain, you can savor Yamaga's distinctive light culture together with the air of the hot-spring town.
Yamaga-Style Lights Created by Washi Umbrellas and Bamboo
At the venue, light objects made from washi umbrellas and bamboo are placed throughout the townscape.
The bamboo used for the bamboo lights is prepared by going into the mountains each November and cutting out around 1,500 bamboo stalks trimmed to about 3 meters long.
Rather than an event that shows everything at once with strong lighting, the atmosphere is one to enjoy including the flicker of the candles and the darkness of the alleys.
For international travelers, it becomes a time to easily feel the stillness of a Japanese winter night and the warmth of lights carefully arranged by local people.
A Winter Light Event for Walking the Buzen Kaidō
The main stage, the Buzen Kaidō, is a street where you can feel the historic townscape of Yamaga.
The lit-up area centers on the stretch of Buzen Kaidō from the Yachiyoza theater to Sakura-yu.
It is an area where you can walk by day while taking in the look of the buildings, but at night, the washi umbrella and bamboo lights are added and the view changes.
Rather than just stopping to take photos, viewing it including the shadows of the buildings, the atmosphere of the stone pavement, and the lights at shopfronts makes Yamaga's night appear three-dimensional.
Savor the Handmade Touch of the Locals
This event also carries meaning in that it is prepared through the cooperation of local people.
In some years, if visitors bring their own lighters, they can take part in lighting the candles as volunteers.
While it is a scene arranged for tourists, the warmth of townspeople lighting the lights remains.
At the venue, walking with the feeling of being allowed into the community's daily life—without getting too close to the works or blocking the path—makes for a more comfortable visit.
Light Highlights to Savor Along the Buzen Kaidō
The best way to enjoy Hyakka Hyakusai is less about staying at one spot and more about gathering small scenes as you walk through the town.
The lighting hours are generally announced as 18:00 to 22:00.
Knowing the types of lights and the atmosphere of each place makes it easier not to miss anything even on a short visit.
View the Colors of the Washi Umbrellas Up Close and from Afar
The washi umbrella lights show the patterns of the paper and framework when viewed up close, and float as clusters of color within the townscape when seen from a distance.
If you take photos, considering separately a composition that fills the frame with just the umbrella and one that includes the whole street changes the impression.
In places with foot traffic, it is reassuring to keep your stopping time short and shoot in step with the flow around you.
Notice the Low Lights of the Bamboo Bonbori
The bamboo lights (take bonbori) reveal their expression when you lower your gaze a little.
As lights near your feet continue on, the street gains depth and a soft rhythm is added to the night walk.
In dark places you also need to watch your footing, so rather than concentrating too much on photography, keep a distance between yourself, others walking, and the lights.
Include Even the Building Shadows in the Scenery
Along the Buzen Kaidō, not only the lights themselves but also the shadows cast on the walls and eaves of buildings become highlights.
Old townscapes give different impressions by day and night, and at night, with the details harder to see, the outlines and depth stand out.
Rather than hurrying to find bright spots, stepping back a little to take in the whole atmosphere conveys the calm that is so characteristic of Yamaga.
Change How You View the Lights by Location
At the light venue, how you spend your time changes by location—along the townscape, at temples and shrines, around the hot-spring district, and so on.
In particular, the area around Kongōjō-ji Temple is known as the most crowded light spot, and people gather there depending on the time.
The following table organizes the perspectives for viewing the lights.
The contents of the table are not for deciding the order in which you walk, but as a guide for switching what you look at on the spot.
In crowded places, rather than continuing to search for a good position, viewing from a spot stepped back a little lets you enjoy it more calmly.
Experiencing Culture at the Yachiyoza and the Yamaga Fūzei Monogatari
Hyakka Hyakusai is notable not only for its outdoor lights but also for the chance to encounter Yamaga's traditional performing arts.
The Yachiyoza, a playhouse designated as a nationally Important Cultural Property, is a place to feel Yamaga's history and performing arts, adding depth to a night stroll.
The Yachiyoza as the Anchor for a Town Walk
The Yachiyoza is a two-story wooden playhouse built in 1910, preserving the features of a kabuki theater such as a revolving stage, a hanamichi walkway, and box seating.
It is a place to keep in mind alongside a stroll of the Buzen Kaidō, and just gazing at its exterior lit by the lights lets you feel the time the town of Yamaga has accumulated.
Whether there are in-theater events or tours varies by the year and the program, so if you are considering admission, it is reassuring to check the guidance in advance.
Enjoy the Yamaga Taiko and the Yamaga Lantern Dance
During the Hyakka Hyakusai period, the Yachiyoza presents the "Yamaga Fūzei Monogatari," a co-performance of Yamaga taiko drums and the Yamaga lantern dance (Yamaga Tōrō Odori).
The roughly 60-minute performance opens its doors at 20:00 and starts at 20:30, with admission generally 1,000 yen (including a 200-yen shopping voucher; free for elementary school age and below).
Seating is all unreserved, and in some years notice is given that tickets are sold from 18:00 on the day at the Yachiyoza entrance, so if you want to watch, securing them early is reassuring.
The power of the drums and the supple movements of the lantern dance convey Yamaga's culture from a different angle than the outdoor lights.
Even without understanding the language, much comes across through the sound, the gestures, the costumes, and the atmosphere of the stage, making it an easy experience to enter for international travelers.
Connect the Lights and the Performing Arts in the Same Night
Encountering traditional performing arts after walking and viewing the outdoor lights deepens the impression of a Yamaga night by another step.
Conversely, stepping out onto the street after seeing the stage, the washi umbrella and bamboo lights appear not as mere decoration but as scenery expressing the local culture.
If you are short on time, using the area around the Yachiyoza as a base for your stroll makes it easier to feel both the lights and the culture.
Photography Manners to Keep at the Hyakka Hyakusai
Hyakka Hyakusai has many scenes that make you want to take photos, but the venue is also a town where many people walk.
Prioritizing safety and smooth passage over photography freedom is the key to keeping your trip enjoyable.
Be Careful with Tripods and Drones
The photography rules indicate that you should refrain from acts that obstruct other visitors and from holding spots that block passage.
At illuminated spots such as the Yachiyoza, Sakura-yu, and within the traffic-restricted sections, you are asked to refrain from using tripods for safety.
Normal-sized monopods may be used, but consideration for those around you is needed.
At the approach to and grounds of Kongōjō-ji Temple, the most crowded spot, the use of all equipment such as tripods, monopods, and stepladders is prohibited, so special care is needed if you visit for photography.
Drones are prohibited from being brought in or used at each venue and in the surrounding areas.
Since the objects and washi umbrellas are handmade and delicate, avoid touching them to take photos and shoot from a slightly distant position.
Enjoy Photography by Taking Turns
Standing in the same spot for a long time to get a good photo tends to obstruct people behind you and those passing through.
Simply shooting briefly and moving a little lets others around you enjoy the same scenery too.
Organizing the manners, it is easy to understand by thinking as follows.
The purpose of a photo is not to monopolize the lights, but to bring home the air of the place.
The more crowded a place is, the more choosing a composition stepped back a little or from an angle lets you capture Yamaga-like scenery while avoiding the crowds.
Preparing to Walk the Yamaga Night Comfortably
At an event where you walk outdoors on a winter night, preparing your clothing and how you walk is important.
Because the lighting hours and traffic restrictions are announced each year, checking the information before your visit makes it easier to plan.
Check the Dates and Lighting Hours
Hyakka Hyakusai is a winter event, held in some years mainly on Fridays and Saturdays in February.
The dates and the content of related events are updated each year.
If you build it into your travel schedule, check the dates and lighting hours in advance.
In particular, travelers combining it with public transport or lodging will feel reassured by deciding their return travel method first.
Be Aware of the Traffic-Restricted Areas
Around the venue, each year's guidance may include traffic restrictions and parking information.
If you visit by car, the roads you can pass and where you can park may differ from normal times.
Even when using public transport, since service and connections on the night return trip can be limited, make sure you won't get lost on site.
Dress and Footwear for Night Walking
To view the lights beautifully, the venue has places where darkness remains.
Choosing comfortable walking shoes and a bag that keeps both hands free makes photography and map-checking easier.
Yamaga nights in February get cold and you tend to spend long periods standing still, so dressing on the premise of being outdoors—with warm clothing, gloves, and so on—lets you walk calmly.
What you should prepare changes a little depending on your travel style.
This table is not for cramming your schedule, but for deciding the priorities that suit your own trip.
For a night event, narrowing down a little what you want to see tends, in the end, to leave a stronger impression.
The Atmosphere of Yamaga's Hot-Spring District and Food
Yamaga is also a town known as a long-established hot-spring destination.
Even when visiting for Hyakka Hyakusai, turning your attention to the atmosphere of the hot-spring district and to mealtimes deepens your impression of Yamaga.
Feel the Air of the Hot-Spring District
Yamaga nights leave an impression not only of the light venue but also of the calm characteristic of a hot-spring town.
Sakura-yu, at the southern end of the lit-up area, is known as a symbolic wooden public bathhouse of Yamaga Onsen, and it is an easy place to feel the atmosphere together with the lights.
If you are considering bathing or dining, check the operating hours and conditions of use in each facility's guidance.
Arranging your flow to rest in a warm place after viewing the lights lets you enjoy the winter night walk without strain.
Using Local Shops Leaves the Town in Your Memory
On event days, you may be able to enjoy dining and shopping in the vicinity.
However, since the business details vary by year and by shop, rather than fixing on a specific shop or price, it is reassuring to choose by looking at the on-site guidance.
A brief exchange with a shop's staff or the memory of warm food becomes a travel memory separate from the photos of the lights.
Summary | A Light-Filled Trip to Savor Winter Yamaga Slowly
The Yamaga Tōrō Roman Hyakka Hyakusai is a winter event where you can enjoy not only viewing the washi umbrella and bamboo lights but also the townscape of the Buzen Kaidō, the Yachiyoza, Yamaga's traditional performing arts, and the air of the hot-spring district together.
If you are visiting for the first time, a natural flow is to first walk the Buzen Kaidō slowly, take photos near the lights while taking turns, and, if the timing fits, also head to the Yamaga Fūzei Monogatari at the Yachiyoza.
Since the dates, lighting hours, traffic restrictions, and related events change each year, check the guidance before your trip.
By walking quietly among the lights arranged by the townspeople, a winter night in Yamaga becomes a time that stays in your travel memories.
