TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Hirosaki City (弘前市) in Aomori Prefecture (青森縣), Japan has illuminated its station with 150 hand-painted lanterns by children from Tainan (台南), starting Dec. 1. The exhibit, which runs until March 8, 2026, fosters a warm winter atmosphere and celebrates the friendship between the two cities, according to Tainan's city government.
The lanterns, originally a gift from Tainan to Minakami Town (水上町) in Gunma Prefecture, have been carefully preserved and loaned, facilitating a trilateral cultural exchange involving Tainan, Hirosaki, and Minakami. Tainan officials reported that the lanterns hang prominently at the central mouth plaza entrance and inside the underground passage of Hirosaki Station, lighting up daily from 4 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Hirosaki's city government noted that local citizens eagerly anticipated the lantern display. Since the lights turned on Dec. 1, many have stopped to take photos, hoping to share the children's creative works with a broader audience. The city, the third largest in Aomori Prefecture with a population of approximately 159,000, is renowned for its apple production, leading Japan in this industry.
Tainan and Hirosaki have maintained a sister-city relationship since the end of 2017, with cultural exchanges, including the exchange of mango and apple products, initiated in 2011. This lantern exhibit highlights the enduring bond and cultural collaboration between the two cities, promising further opportunities for artistic and cultural engagement.