Handmade lanterns by Ichikawa residents shine! "Mama Andon Festival" revitalizes the area

The Mama Andon Light-up Planning Executive Committee, made up of volunteers from Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and the shopping district near the university, will hold the Mama Andon Festival at Mamayama Kobo-ji Temple in Ichikawa City, Chiba Prefecture, on Sunday, July 22. Handmade lanterns made by Ichikawa residents will light up the stone steps of Kobo-ji Temple to the shopping district of Mama, making the town shine.
At the event, students from our university who are members of the executive committee will provide an opportunity for intergenerational exchange and deepening attachment to the local area in response to social issues in the surrounding area, such as regional revitalization and elderly welfare. Prior to the event, we will plan and manage the production of lanterns by Ichikawa residents, creating a sense of expectation and unity for the day.
This year, the fourth time the event has been held, the power of art will be utilized in the event. Artist Usuda Nachi ^* is scheduled to host a workshop to make lanterns. Also on the day, students from the Faculty of Policy and Information Studies at our university will carry out projection mapping using the Mamayama Koboji Temple Soshido Hall as a screen, fusing cutting-edge technology with art and culture to contribute to the development of the region.
We plan to make 200 lanterns. With more participants, we hope to make this the biggest event ever and grow it from a "local event" to a "citizens' event."
*Usuda Nachi is based in Hitachinaka City, Ibaraki Prefecture, and is involved in art projects based on the theme of "connections with people."

Overview of the Mama Andon Festival

Lantern production