illuminated by kobe

The other night, my roomate Hanna, her boyfriend Nobu and I travelled to Kobe to see the annual Illumination. The pictures do not do it justice at all (hint: if you click on the pictures - you can see them bigger. It gives you a better sense of what it was like). It was illuminating.
The city of Kobe started have the illumination about 10 years ago, my students having been telling me. After the huge Hanshin earthquake in 1995, which left the people of Kobe shaken and with little hope, the city decided to host this festival in order to encourage them and to restore their hope. What a lovely idea. Perhaps more festivals aught to have this type of significance.
You walk through various archways (actually reminds me of some sort of Arabian design) illuminated with light. Christmas choral music plays as you walk down the road.
Once you reach the end of the road, and comb your way through the crowds, you come to this enclosed space which makes you feel like you are in a castle made entirely of lights. Many young families and children dressed in their little red coats and holding balloons. Christmas seemed to come alive at this moment for me. There is some about light at Christmas that cheers you and comforts you in a way that is hard to describe. As I was strongly missing home that night, I was reminded of that verse where Jesus speaks of "I am the light of the world." You can't help but want to gaze and gaze. Perhaps when the shepards saw the star, they felt illuminated as well.

Enjoy the pictures! They do not come close to actually experience, but it gives you an idea anyways.
























I forogt to mention as well - I saw a real live samurai that night too!! The real thing. He was just walking down the street (as if its no big deal!). Nobu pointed him out to us - wearing a rather long black coat with a white material over his chest and some Japanese writing on it. I will try to find a picture somewhere for you. No sword though.

Missing you all. Christmas feels different this year without you around.