Do you have lanterns where you live?  In Kurume, a lantern floating ceremony is held every year on August 15th, where about 3,000 lanterns, each with four different colors, are floated down the river to honor the deceased. The paper lanterns are inscribed with the names of the deceased and those of their living family members sending out the lantern, and sometimes even messages addressed to the deceased family member.
In Japan, there is a holiday called "Obon" in mid-August every year, during which people welcome their ancestors into their homes and make offerings to them, but in Kurume, we make offerings by way of floating lanterns! 
Come and see this spectacle that’s unique even within Japan! 

Event schedule: August 15th (Thu.) 6:00 – 10:00 pm
Venue: Town of Senoshita, Kurume City (along the river by Suitengu Shrine)
Access: 15-minute walk from Kurume Station (JR Kagoshima Main Line)