Noheji Illumination  (Photo by Yoshihito Morita/Stripes Japan)

A park less than an hour away from Misawa Air Base is currently lighting up the night with beautiful illuminations.

Atago Park’s “Noheji Illumination Hikari Monogatari” (the story of light) runs through Sept. 6 in Noheji Town. Though illuminations are usually a winter attraction, visitors can enjoy the mid-summer brilliance.

This year, the illuminations feature 170,000 LED lights (increased 20,000 LEDs from the last year’s event) with more than 10 different color hues. It spans an 8,000 square meter area and is themed after the four seasons of the Noheji Town, including spring’s cherry blossoms, the summer blue sea of Mutsu Gulf, autumn leaves of Mt. Eboshidake and the snowy scenery of Noheji Town.

Noheji Illumination  (Photo by Yoshihito Morita/Stripes Japan)

Noheji Illumination (Photo by Yoshihito Morita/Stripes Japan)

Noheji Illumination (Photo by Yoshihito Morita/Stripes Japan)

Noheji Illumination  (Photo by Yoshihito Morita/Stripes Japan)

There is an observation tower in the park where you can look down at the illuminations from above.

“It is a fantastic experience to see a fully illuminated park with colorful LEDs,” Yoshihito Morita, a Misawa Commissary employee who attended a previous event. said. “But be sure to bring bug spray.”

Noheji has developed as a port town and a thriving hub for traditional Kitamaebune cargo ships running from Osaka to Hokkaido throughout the Edo and Meiji Eras (1603-1912), and the illumination event features the port town’s symbols, Kitamaebune and Joyato (stone-made nightlight). To create the impressive illuminations, Noheji High School students greatly contributed to the project, according to Morita.

(Photo courtesy of Noheji Town)

(Photo courtesy of Noheji Town)

During the period, an illumination photo contest is provided on Aug. 15, and on Aug. 14-15, 22, 28-29 and Sept. 4-5, visitors can enjoy snacks from food trucks set up during those nights.

Atago Park is only a 50-minute drive from Misawa Air Base, so brighten up your summer evenings with some beautiful illuminations!

This port town is also to hold Noheji Gion Matsuri festival from Aug. 20 through 23 at the Noheji Port, where you can check out a replica of the gigantic Kitamaebune cargo ship “Michinoku-maru” at the Joyato Park in the Port.

Noheji Illumination “Hikari Story 2026”