Submerged Forest Light-up at Lake Shirakawa starting April 18, 2026: An otherworldly art created by light illuminating the submerged forest and pitch-black darkness
The Nakatsugawa Moribitokai in Iide Town, Yamagata, will host the eco-friendly 'Lake Shirakawa Submerged Forest Light-up' event from April 18, 2026. A 'Submerged Forest BAR' featuring tables made of local beech wood will also open.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 15, 2026 at 05:24
- 🔍 Collected: April 14, 2026 at 21:01
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 19, 2026 at 14:33 (113h 31m after Collected)
The Submerged Forest emerging with the moon and lights: Everyone has their own way to enjoy it; early morning submerged forest at Lake Shirakawa.
Iide Town in the southern part of Yamagata Prefecture. Here, for only two months every spring, the meltwater from the Iide Mountain Range flows into Lake Shirakawa, creating the 'Submerged Forest of Lake Shirakawa' where white willow trees float in the lake.
This location is a spot attracting attention both domestically and internationally, having been featured in the leading US media 'National Geographic' as part of the 'Best of the World 2026' (25 travel destinations in the world to visit in 2026).
In order to further upgrade this extraordinary landscape, local volunteers will light it up again this year, creating a space completely different from the daytime.
The locations to be lit up are around the single willow tree, the symbol tree of Lake Shirakawa, and near the stairs behind Shirakawaso. Because the lights use LED lights boasting high color rendering properties, they accurately reproduce the beautiful green color of the trees while maintaining warmth. In addition, portable batteries are used as the power source. Because gasoline generators are not used, the space is eco-friendly and quiet.
1. Overview of the Lake Shirakawa Submerged Forest Light-up
Event Period: April 18-19, April 25 to May 10, May 16-17, 2026, 18:30 - 21:00
The first day, April 18, is the press day, and representative Kato will explain the highlights of the light-up from 19:00.
In case of bad weather, the event will be canceled. Announcements will be made on SNS and the tourism association website.
For press attendance and explanation requests, please apply by phone to Kato.
Parking fee: 1,000 yen for 24 hours daily from April 18 to May 17.
The parking fees will be used for the operation of the light-up and the environmental maintenance of Lake Shirakawa. Parking fees apply even on non-light-up days.
Customers who pay the parking fee (1,000 yen per car) during the light-up event will receive a '400-yen coupon' that can be used within the venue.
- How to use: Please present your 'receipt' from the parking fee payment at the headquarters tent, etc., in the venue.
- Where to use: F&B area 'Submerged Forest BAR' and 'Stalls (NIGHT PLAZA)' in the venue.
Location: Lake Shirakawa Park (Address: 218-1 Kazuma, Iide Town, Yamagata Prefecture)
Organizer: Nakatsugawa Moribitokai, Iide Town
2. 'Submerged Forest BAR' opens with tables made of locally grown beech!
Coinciding with the light-up period, the Submerged Forest BAR will open again this year. The submerged forest is operated mainly by locals. This BAR is also operated by people who moved to Nakatsugawa, Iide Town. On May 3, Masaki Takeda of BAR MAR in Takahata Town, and on May 4-5, Live House ARB in Yonezawa City will set up stalls to add color to the event.
In the Submerged Forest BAR, four tables made from beech cut from the local forest of Nakatsugawa, Iide Town will be installed. This Nakatsugawa beech is attracting attention from inside and outside the prefecture due to its strong white color and beauty, but its numbers are decreasing year by year due to logging. With the desire to use this rare local timber locally and have many people see it, Watanabe Lumber Mill in Iide Town and the Nakatsugawa Moribitokai in Iide Town planned the production of beech tables. By daring to use wood with holes or bent wood that would not normally be used as furniture timber, a one-of-a-kind table in the world was completed. Please enjoy the beautifully colored world of the submerged forest with this furniture of local production for local consumption, created through the cooperation of companies and organizations in the town.
Furthermore, in order to allow visitors to appreciate the submerged forest closer, a wood deck has also been newly installed outside the BAR this year. You can view the illuminated submerged forest right before your eyes.
3. About the organizer: Nakatsugawa Moribitokai, Iide Town
Established in 2021. The representative is Masafumi Kato, who moved from Yokohama to the Nakatsugawa area of Iide Town in 2019 and makes a living through forestry. He conducts forest maintenance, practices small-scale forestry, and trains young people. The number of members is 12 (mostly in their 30s and 40s as of April 1, 2026). The philosophy is 'pursuing the value of the forest precisely because trees grow there', 'if we are to cut, we find the maximum value from a single tree', and 'do what we think is interesting'. As part of creating a related population as well as human resource development in the town, they accept forest training from the University of Tsukuba and Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. They also implement the artist-in-residence 'Tree Creator Project' for stay-type art production by artists. In addition, aiming to establish a new industry (new forestry = forest business) that combines forestry and tourism, they also handle a one-day event that lights up the beech forest in the middle of winter.
Iide Town in the southern part of Yamagata Prefecture. Here, for only two months every spring, the meltwater from the Iide Mountain Range flows into Lake Shirakawa, creating the 'Submerged Forest of Lake Shirakawa' where white willow trees float in the lake.
This location is a spot attracting attention both domestically and internationally, having been featured in the leading US media 'National Geographic' as part of the 'Best of the World 2026' (25 travel destinations in the world to visit in 2026).
In order to further upgrade this extraordinary landscape, local volunteers will light it up again this year, creating a space completely different from the daytime.
The locations to be lit up are around the single willow tree, the symbol tree of Lake Shirakawa, and near the stairs behind Shirakawaso. Because the lights use LED lights boasting high color rendering properties, they accurately reproduce the beautiful green color of the trees while maintaining warmth. In addition, portable batteries are used as the power source. Because gasoline generators are not used, the space is eco-friendly and quiet.
1. Overview of the Lake Shirakawa Submerged Forest Light-up
Event Period: April 18-19, April 25 to May 10, May 16-17, 2026, 18:30 - 21:00
The first day, April 18, is the press day, and representative Kato will explain the highlights of the light-up from 19:00.
In case of bad weather, the event will be canceled. Announcements will be made on SNS and the tourism association website.
For press attendance and explanation requests, please apply by phone to Kato.
Parking fee: 1,000 yen for 24 hours daily from April 18 to May 17.
The parking fees will be used for the operation of the light-up and the environmental maintenance of Lake Shirakawa. Parking fees apply even on non-light-up days.
Customers who pay the parking fee (1,000 yen per car) during the light-up event will receive a '400-yen coupon' that can be used within the venue.
- How to use: Please present your 'receipt' from the parking fee payment at the headquarters tent, etc., in the venue.
- Where to use: F&B area 'Submerged Forest BAR' and 'Stalls (NIGHT PLAZA)' in the venue.
Location: Lake Shirakawa Park (Address: 218-1 Kazuma, Iide Town, Yamagata Prefecture)
Organizer: Nakatsugawa Moribitokai, Iide Town
2. 'Submerged Forest BAR' opens with tables made of locally grown beech!
Coinciding with the light-up period, the Submerged Forest BAR will open again this year. The submerged forest is operated mainly by locals. This BAR is also operated by people who moved to Nakatsugawa, Iide Town. On May 3, Masaki Takeda of BAR MAR in Takahata Town, and on May 4-5, Live House ARB in Yonezawa City will set up stalls to add color to the event.
In the Submerged Forest BAR, four tables made from beech cut from the local forest of Nakatsugawa, Iide Town will be installed. This Nakatsugawa beech is attracting attention from inside and outside the prefecture due to its strong white color and beauty, but its numbers are decreasing year by year due to logging. With the desire to use this rare local timber locally and have many people see it, Watanabe Lumber Mill in Iide Town and the Nakatsugawa Moribitokai in Iide Town planned the production of beech tables. By daring to use wood with holes or bent wood that would not normally be used as furniture timber, a one-of-a-kind table in the world was completed. Please enjoy the beautifully colored world of the submerged forest with this furniture of local production for local consumption, created through the cooperation of companies and organizations in the town.
Furthermore, in order to allow visitors to appreciate the submerged forest closer, a wood deck has also been newly installed outside the BAR this year. You can view the illuminated submerged forest right before your eyes.
3. About the organizer: Nakatsugawa Moribitokai, Iide Town
Established in 2021. The representative is Masafumi Kato, who moved from Yokohama to the Nakatsugawa area of Iide Town in 2019 and makes a living through forestry. He conducts forest maintenance, practices small-scale forestry, and trains young people. The number of members is 12 (mostly in their 30s and 40s as of April 1, 2026). The philosophy is 'pursuing the value of the forest precisely because trees grow there', 'if we are to cut, we find the maximum value from a single tree', and 'do what we think is interesting'. As part of creating a related population as well as human resource development in the town, they accept forest training from the University of Tsukuba and Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. They also implement the artist-in-residence 'Tree Creator Project' for stay-type art production by artists. In addition, aiming to establish a new industry (new forestry = forest business) that combines forestry and tourism, they also handle a one-day event that lights up the beech forest in the middle of winter.