Lanterns are seen in Osaka's Chuo Ward at the annual Dotonbori River Manto Festival, which kicked off on July 1, 2021. Some 1,300 lanterns are lined up spanning about 800 meters on both sides of the river. Messages are written on some lanterns in a bid to give the downtown district, which has been severely affected by the coronavirus pandemic, a boost. The festival was launched in 1999, and organizers turned to crowdfunding this year to cover the cost of the event for the first time, collecting some 170 lanterns, which cost 10,000 yen (about $90) each, from across the country. The lanterns will be lit until Aug. 31.

       (Japanese original by Yumi Shibamura, Osaka City News Department)

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