The Winter Lights Festival transforms Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden into a sparkling winter wonderland.
“Can we ring the bell one more time, Mom? Please?!” my girls chime in unison. It’s not every day you can ring a bronze bell taller than you. We give them the okay and they scramble up the stairs to push the shu-moku (suspended wooden beam) towards the Friendship Bell. Upon contact, a sonorous bong reverberates through the gardens, and then anotherβ¦ and a few more.
Michelle Day, Executive Director of Nikka Yuko Japanese Gardens, smiles as she’s seen it before. Even adults can’t resist the bell which was commissioned specifically for the gardens and cast in Kyoto. She recommends we come back onΒ Joya No KaneΒ (New Year’s Eve), when Buddhist monks will ring the bell 108 times – to rid people of worldly desires accumulated throughout the year.
Read the full story at FestivalSeekers.com: Bask in the festive glow of Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden
Bell tones and giggling aside, the gardens are quiet. Michelle is giving us a sneak peek of Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden’s Winter Lights Festival before it opens to the public. As the girls flick the lights on, they exclaim how different the gardens look in winterβ¦ and βhow pretty!β
It has taken Michelleβs team of 8 over 600 hours to hang 100,000 lights (and more are yet to be put up) in a dazzling array. More than pretty lights however, the festival is a cultural experience where you can celebrate The Emperorβs Birthday or Joya No Kane (New Yearβs Eve Bell Ringing Ceremony), learn about Japanese traditions, and savor Japanese treats. Enjoy a Sleigh Ride, free with paid admission, on special dates too!
The Nikka Yuko Winter Lights Festival runs from November 30, 2022 – February 24, 2023 (Fridays & Saturdays). Stay for the weekend to experience more winter fun in Lethbridge!
This is a sneak peek when 70% of lights were up (November 2017)
Table of Contents
Where to Stay
The Coast Lethbridge Hotel and Conference Centre is located only one kilometre from Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden and boasts a swimming pool, free breakfast, and spacious rooms.
Read MORE about our weekend in Lethbridge at FestivalSeekers:Β Bask in the festive glow of Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden’s Winter Lights Festival.
Getting Here
Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden is located in Lethbridge, 2 hours and 15 minutes south of Calgary. Click here for Google Maps directions.
For More Information
To learn more about the Winter Lights Festival, visitΒ Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden – Events Calendar.Β For more fun things to do in Lethbridge, check outΒ VisitLethbridge.comΒ or read our story:Β Winter Fun in Lethbridge.
Acknowledgements
Thank you to Visit Lethbridge, Travel Alberta and FestivalSeekers for making this trip happen! All words and opinions are my own.
