연등 축제

The Lantern Parade, the highlight of the Lotus Lantern Festival, was held on 26 Apr, Sunday. The parade took place along Jongno Road and terminated at the junction of Jongno 1-ga.

Before the parade, which was scheduled to start at 7pm, I was wandering around Jongno 1-ga and Jogyesa Temple. Jongno 1-ga was off-bound to traffic on Sunday. Many lanterns were set up at its mouth and many tents erected along it. Inside the tents, visitors were allowed to experience with Buddhist culture.

Some of the lanterns seen at the mouth of Jongno 1-ga.

"Baby one more time" and "I want nobody nobody but you".

Cultural experience - Making of paper lotus flower.

Colourful petals of lotus flowers made from Hanji (Korean paper).

At Jogyesa Temple, lotus lanterns almost shielded off the sky. There was a long queue formed up when I was there. Apparently, people were there to collect the lanterns. Apparently, anyone could just walk in, take the lanterns and participate in the street parade.

Just after I left the temple, it started to drizzle and then rain came. When it seemed like it was going to be a wet evening, the rain miraculously stopped just after the parade started.

Lotus lanterns at Jogyesa almost shielded off the sky.

Lanterns distributed in Jogyesa to anyone who is interested in taking part in the parade.

More lanterns at the mouth of Jongno 1-ga.

The Street Parade



The street parade lasted for about one and a half hour. The floats that participated in the parade were later parked along the street after Jongno 1-ga and that gave good photo-taking opportunity. An open-air concert started in front of Bosingak (Jonggak) after the parade ended.

One of the dragon floats parked at the roadside after the parade.

An open-air concert opened in front of Bosingak after the parade ended.