Every year, from the end of January to the end of February, the Winter Kyushu Lantern Festival is held around Kyushu.  As one of the events, Yamaga city in Kumamoto Prefecture holds the Romance of the Lantern Festival, during which the historical streets are lined with lanterns and beautifully-litmonuments and there isa fantastic atmosphere.The old playhouse, Yachiyo-za and the Yamaga Garden Lantern Folkcraft House are illuminated with Japanese lanterns. Moreover, along Yachiyo street, 200 red and white umbrellas and bamboo art objects are lit up creating arhapsody. Toyomae street is decorated in an old-fashioned way to look like a Meiji or Taisho-period street.On Friday and Saturday nights, at Yachiyo-za, a show titled ‘A Story of Yamaga Style’  takes placewithgarden-lantern dances and Yamaga drumperformances.It’s not to be missed either.