Kyoto is home to countless festivals and events throughout the year. Every March, the already gorgeous streets of the Higashiyama district are illuminated with lanterns and there are a series of events based around the theme of ‘flowers and lights’ that take place throughout the area.
This series of events is called Hanatouro (花灯路). The events are fairly recent, having only started in the Spring of 2003, but has since become a new tradition to welcome spring into Kyoto. Kyoto-ites have welcomed it into their normal culture and flock to the street of Higashiyama and Gion every spring to catch a glimpse of these gorgeous illuminations!