On 11 March 2011, the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in Japan shook the Tōhoku region, caused a chain of several additional disasters and claimed more than 15,000 lives.
Though it is hard to forget such a devastating event, every year since, a growing collection of washi paper lanterns have been lit up as both a memorial for those that were affected by the disaster and as a display of hope for the future of the region.
The event will be lit up for the last time this March, marking the 10th anniversary of the earthquake.
The project began when students from Tama University traveled to the three disaster-stricken areas of Tōhoku in 2011 as part of their ‘Japan Love Project’. There, they gathered messages on hand-made Japanese paper and made them into lanterns. Every year since, more paper messages have been added to collection, which is then lit up at Tokyo Midtown’s Lawn Square.
This year, the event theme is ‘connecting’, with the Washi Lantern Garden focusing on connecting the people affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake and the people from the rest of the country who cried out for those who suffered the unfortunate events. The event will also connect past memories, people and events with the blossoming future of the Tōhoku region.
If you are stuck at home, the event will be available to watch online, and each and every one of the messages collected over the last 10 years will be published via both instagram and twitter.
Approximately 15,000 washi paper messages have been collected over the past 10 years, and 6,000 of them will be lit up at the Midtown Lawn Square.
This year, the lanterns will be set up in a pattern resembling five connected rings. In buddhist teachings, this pattern represents peace and harmony. You might also notice the pattern’s nod to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic games.
The approach to the Tokyo Midtown Lawn Square will be illuminated by 4,500 of the washi paper lanterns.
If you look closely, you’ll notice how the feelings of people who were living in the affected areas change with the passage of time – the older messages are full of pain, hurt and anger, whilst the more recent ones look towards a brighter and optimistic future for Tōhoku.
Washi Paper Garden – TOHOKU 2021
Dates: 9 March – 11 March, 2021 Time: 17:00 – 20:00 Location: Tokyo Midtown Garden, Lawn Square Admission: Free
On 11 March 2011, the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in Japan shook the Tōhoku region, caused a chain of several additional disasters and claimed more than 15,000 lives.
Though it is hard to forget such a devastating event, every year since, a growing collection of washi paper lanterns have been lit up as both a memorial for those that were affected by the disaster and as a display of hope for the future of the region.
The event will be lit up for the last time this March, marking the 10th anniversary of the earthquake.
The project began when students from Tama University traveled to the three disaster-stricken areas of Tōhoku in 2011 as part of their ‘Japan Love Project’. There, they gathered messages on hand-made Japanese paper and made them into lanterns. Every year since, more paper messages have been added to collection, which is then lit up at Tokyo Midtown’s Lawn Square.
This year, the event theme is ‘connecting’, with the Washi Lantern Garden focusing on connecting the people affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake and the people from the rest of the country who cried out for those who suffered the unfortunate events. The event will also connect past memories, people and events with the blossoming future of the Tōhoku region.
If you are stuck at home, the event will be available to watch online, and each and every one of the messages collected over the last 10 years will be published via both instagram and twitter.
Approximately 15,000 washi paper messages have been collected over the past 10 years, and 6,000 of them will be lit up at the Midtown Lawn Square.
This year, the lanterns will be set up in a pattern resembling five connected rings. In buddhist teachings, this pattern represents peace and harmony. You might also notice the pattern’s nod to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic games.
The approach to the Tokyo Midtown Lawn Square will be illuminated by 4,500 of the washi paper lanterns.
If you look closely, you’ll notice how the feelings of people who were living in the affected areas change with the passage of time – the older messages are full of pain, hurt and anger, whilst the more recent ones look towards a brighter and optimistic future for Tōhoku.
Washi Paper Garden – TOHOKU 2021
Dates: 9 March – 11 March, 2021
Time: 17:00 – 20:00
Location: Tokyo Midtown Garden, Lawn Square
Admission: Free
Follow the event online, or via twitter and instagram
.*In case of rain or stormy weather, the event will be cancelled.