Each year, but only for three evenings in November, Tatemono-en, the Edo-Tokyo Open-Air Architectural Museum, adds another jewel to its crown. For this brief period, it stays open until 8 p.m., and as the sun goes down, the "light up" event commences.
Working together with a lighting consultant, the museum created two themes. The first was to literally "shine a light" on the seasonal aspects of the gardens. The other was to replicate the interior lighting - candle, gas or early electric - appropriate to each building in its respective period. In addition, there were lectures (in Japanese) about Taisho period lighting, and lantern-making workshops for elementary school-aged children.
The overall effect was very impressive and I felt like an autumnal time traveller. I certainly know where I will be traveling to at the end of next November.
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Allan Murphy @allan.murphy
Although I consider Vancouver to be my home, I'm an army brat and grew up in London, Ont., Birkenhead, UK; Soest, West Germany (then); and Petawawa, Ont. As a result, I became a rolling stone: lived in China (Chengdu), Western Auatralia and about 30 years in Japan. It ain't over yet.
