Setsuya Luminarie 2023 (Solar garden illumination created by Setsuya Suzuki) The "Mikoshi Lantern" at Hekisui Elementary School is back!

Thursday, June 22, 2023

This year marks the ninth year of the illuminations in the garden of Setsuya Suzuki's (71-year-old) home, "Suzuki Setsuya Luminarie 2023."

A story by Setsuya Suzuki

This year's theme is "Circle, Circle, and Circle"!!! This marks the opening of a theme park of light that shines with brightness and brilliance as the world moves towards peace. We spoke to Setsya Suzuki about the creation of the illuminations.

This year's theme is "◯・丸・円"

"This year's theme is 'circle'. We've sprinkled in words like 'smooth' and 'mature'.

In today's world, no matter what news you watch, you see people stealing, killing others, and even war. I put my hopes into this song that the world will become a brighter, rounder place.

There are about 30 circles placed throughout the space, expressing the theme of "circles."

The "Mikoshi Lantern" has been revived after 30 years

And the piece I'd most like you to see is this "Lantern." This "Lantern" was used about 30 years ago when Hekisui Elementary School was full of children. The school closed, and the "Lantern" lay dormant in Matsuura's warehouse for 30 years. I took it out of the warehouse, remodeled it, and arranged it as a "Mikoshi Lantern."

A "people pleaser" who shines with infinite light

Furthermore, the main piece, which is displayed in a high position, is called "Yaho Bijin (All-Round Beauty)." It spreads out in all directions, swaying in all directions. Someone else told me that it can also be called "Yaho Bijin (All-Round Beauty)." I explained that "Yaho Bijin" refers to something that is blocked in all directions with a triangular tip, and that this piece spreads out upwards, so I named it "Yaho Bijin (All-Round Beauty)."

Leaning Tower of Pizza

The tilted tower piece was designed with a decorative "pizza" design and placed at an angle, in imitation of the world-famous "Leaning Tower of Pisa (the bell tower of Pisa Cathedral in Pisa, Italy)." The piece was named "Leaning Tower of Pizza," as Pisa represents pizza.

Please feel free to enter inside

Many of the people who come to see it every year just look at it from the outside and think they shouldn't go inside, but please feel free to go inside and take a look.

However, there are children and elderly people in the neighborhood, so please come inside and look around until around 10pm.

Currently, the illuminations are about 80% complete. The morning glories will continue to grow, so you can view them for about 100 days until the end of September.

"This year, five to six people are helping out in various ways, which is very helpful. There are many parts that I couldn't do alone, so we're all having fun working together," said Suzuki enthusiastically.

Gorgeously shining illuminations!

Light Theme Park

Sparkling Light Festival

Light fairies fly around

Graceful flashing light

My heart is pounding with excitement!

A magnificent radiance of light

Art drawn by rings of light

Sparkling ♡ sparkle

The radiance of love and peace

Sunflower pattern drawn by light

Mysterious light pattern

Illuminations with "Naruto-chan"!

Let's all gather around Suzuki Setsuya!!!

With boundless love, gratitude, and prayers, we hope you will enjoy the moment of joy and healing at the magnificent light festival "Suzuki Setsuya Luminarie 2023."

YouTube videos

Other photos

See 48 photos of Setsuya Luminarie 2023 (garden solar illumination by Setsuya Suzuki) here >>

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◇ Interview and text: Ikuko Terauchi (Photography and editing assistance: Noboru Terauchi)