In Japan, the autumn equinox is a culturally significant event that traditionally marks the end of the harvest season and is accompanied by observances across the country. For those in Osaka, one of the most magical of these seasonal celebrations can be found at Hozanji, a majestic mountaintop temple located halfway between the city and Nara and only 40 minutes from Umeda.
Every year, as dusk falls on the equinoctial night, more than 1,000 paper lanterns lining the long stone staircase to the temple are set alight, along with more than 10,000 candles dotting the temple’s precincts. The effect is as stunning as it is moving; the lanterns, adorned with poems, prayers, and pictures drawn by kindergartners and local artists, cast a fantastical, guiding glow through the neighbourhood and up the mountain. The staircase has around 300 steps, so the walk is not for the faint-hearted – but emerging from the crowds into a temple festooned with candles flickering off the surrounding statues, pavilions and forest is well worth it.
The community really comes together for this event, and whether you choose to walk from Ikoma Station or take the cable car, you’ll find no shortage of shops, cafés and restaurants spilling out onto the street, selling food and drink or playing music.
This also means you can take from the evening what you need from it. On the initial walk up, the atmosphere is uplifting and lively, while the further you go, the more serene and contemplative it becomes. Whichever calls to you, why not welcome autumn with a stroll up the steps, a hot chai from the Peace Café or warm sake from one of the stalls in hand, and a spectacular stretch of lanterns lighting the way ahead of you.