{"id":8371,"date":"2025-08-04T09:48:34","date_gmt":"2025-08-04T00:48:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/careers.zen.group\/?p=8371"},"modified":"2026-04-10T12:18:39","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T03:18:39","slug":"exploring-kansai-vol3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/careers.zen.group\/en\/2025\/08\/04\/exploring-kansai-vol3\/","title":{"rendered":"Exploring Kansai: \u306a\u3089\u71c8\u82b1\u4f1a(Nara Tokae) \u2014 Lighting Up a Magical Summer Night"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nara is well known for the giant Buddha at T\u014ddai-ji, the friendly deer in Nara Park, and most of all, its charming historical buildings that bring the past to life. But if you\u2019re visiting in the summer, there\u2019s one special event you won\u2019t want to miss \u2014 Nara Tokae.<\/p>\n

Centered around Nara Park, this enchanting evening event lights up the ancient city with thousands of softly glowing candles.<\/p>\n<\/div>

What is \u306a\u3089\u71c8\u82b1\u4f1a (Nara Tokae)?<\/h4><\/div>
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Nara Tokae is a gentle light festival that has become a symbol of summer in Nara since 1999. The name Tokae comes from toka, the flower-like shape that forms at the tip of a candle flame. It\u2019s said to bring good luck and even make your wishes come true.<\/p>\n

With approximately 20,000 candles placed throughout Nara Park, the atmosphere becomes truly magical. It’s not only a favorite among tourists, but also a relaxing and heartwarming event for locals.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

When does it take place?<\/h4><\/div>

For 2025, Nara Tokae is scheduled from August 5 to August 14 \u2014 ten nights of glowing beauty (it’s usually held in early August every year). The lights shine from around 7:00 PM to 9:30 PM. Be sure to check the official website for the latest updates, especially in case of rain.<\/p>\n<\/div>

Where is it held?<\/h4><\/div>

The candles are set up across the entire Nara Park area, and each spot offers its special vibe. Taking a walk through the park at night \u2014 so different from the daytime \u2014 is one of the best parts of the experience.<\/p>\n

Some top spots to check out include \u201c\u6d6e\u96f2\u5712\u5730(Ukigumo-enchi)\u201d and \u201c\u6d6e\u898b\u5802(Ukimido).\u201dUkigumo-enchi is the largest area, with thousands of candles spread out like a glowing carpet on the grass. It\u2019s picture-perfect.<\/p>\n

At Ukimido, you\u2019ll find one of the most magical views. This hexagonal pavilion floats on Sagi Pond, surrounded by candles that reflect off the water. The flickering lights create a romantic and dreamy atmosphere. You can even rent a rowboat and enjoy the view from the water.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Live Events & Local Food<\/h4><\/div>

During the festival, there are live performances by local artists and beautiful light displays.<\/p>\n

You can also volunteer to help arrange the candles \u2014 a fun and unique experience that makes the event feel even more special. We also cannot forget to mention the delicious Japanese food! Dozens of stalls pop up during Tokae, offering Nara\u2019s famous street food, shaved ice, and other summer festival favorites. Be sure to come hungry!<\/p>\n<\/div>

Make Summer Memories That Shine in Nara<\/h4><\/div>

There\u2019s something truly peaceful about a summer night in Nara, surrounded by gentle candlelight. The combination of historic streets and soft, glowing lights creates a scene that\u2019s not just beautiful, but also deeply calming.<\/p>\n

Nara Tokae is your chance to step away from the noise of everyday life and soak in a quiet, magical moment. This summer, let the warm lights guide you \u2014 and make unforgettable memories in Nara.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":8403,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[68],"tags":[49,97,94,95],"class_list":["post-8371","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-kansai","tag-essential","tag-events","tag-culture","tag-tradition"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/careers.zen.group\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/kansai-2.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/careers.zen.group\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8371","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/careers.zen.group\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/careers.zen.group\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/careers.zen.group\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/careers.zen.group\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8371"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/careers.zen.group\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8371\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13021,"href":"https:\/\/careers.zen.group\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8371\/revisions\/13021"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/careers.zen.group\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8403"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/careers.zen.group\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8371"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/careers.zen.group\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8371"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/careers.zen.group\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8371"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}