There are a myriad of great summer festivals to enjoy in Tokyo, and one of the prettiest has to be the Chidorigafuchi Moat Lantern Festival. With a history dating back to 1958, the event sees around 2000 gentle lantern lights decorate the water's surface, and there are several ways for visitors to take part.
The most budget-friendly option is simply enjoying a stroll around the moat and appreciating the lanterns from a distance, which won't cost you a single yen. Alternatively, you can write your own wishes or prayers on a lantern to be released on the water (¥ 1000 per lantern).
There's also the opportunity for a select number of people to enjoy the lanterns from a unique vantage point–by rowboat on the moat. The selection process for this is done via a lottery system, and is limited to 80 groups per day and a maximum of three people per group. The lottery applications go live on the official website from late June.
Getting there
Chidorigafuchi Moat is located under 10 minutes on foot from Kudanshita Station, which is served by the Tokyo Metro's Hanzomon Line and Tozai Line, plus the Toei Subway's Shinjuku Line.
More info
Find out more about Chidorigafuchi.
Kim Bergström @kim.b
Almost 12 years living in Asia. Passionate about Japan's off-the-beaten-path spots, family-friendly travel, flower events (all of them!) and the amazing tea culture here. 🍵🌼🌸
