A year and a half has passed since the July 2018 Heavy Rain.
Can you still vividly remember the day the disaster struck?
Meanwhile, the number of people affected by the disaster who have managed to rebuild their lives and are gradually returning to their pre-disaster routines has been growing.
On Friday, December 13, 2019, illuminations were lit at Mabi Fureai Center in the hope of rebuilding Mabi, which suffered particularly severe flood damage.
The event, named “Mabi Reconstruction Bamboo Lights,” was held through the New Year, until Sunday, January 12, 2020.
“Miniko,” a Kuratoco reporter who had never visited Mabi after the disaster, reports on Mabi Reconstruction Bamboo Lights 2019!
The information provided was current when this article was published in January 2020. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What are “Mabi Reconstruction Bamboo Lights”?
![[Mabi Reconstruction Bamboo Lights 2019] Symbol tree and illuminations](https://media.kuratoco.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/23050918/mabi-fukkou-takeakari_02.jpg)
“Mabi Reconstruction Bamboo Lights” is a bamboo-light illumination display planned by the Mabi-Funao Chamber of Commerce and Industry as “a symbol of disaster recovery.”
The lights are on from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Mabi is famous for its delicious bamboo shoots.
The impressive bamboo used for the illuminations is also grown in Mabi, with around 300 stalks of various sizes.
Many round holes have been drilled into the bamboo, and LED bulbs (light-emitting diodes) shine brightly into the night from within.
The lighting ceremony was held at 5 p.m. on December 13, 2019, and Kurashiki City Mayor Kaori Ito also attended.
The parking lot is right in front of the entrance to Mabi Fureai Center, less than a minute’s walk from the symbol tree.
The shared parking lot with Mabi Library has space for up to 426 cars, and parking is free.
Flood damage and a beautiful tree
![[Mabi Reconstruction Bamboo Lights 2019] The symbol tree is as tall as the floodwaters reached](https://media.kuratoco.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/23050917/mabi-fukkou-takeakari_03.jpg)
The top of the tallest symbol tree is 4.5 meters above the ground.
In the summer of 2018, when the July 2018 Heavy Rain struck, Kurashiki City’s Mabi Branch Office was flooded to the same height as the top of the symbol tree.
You can sense Mabi’s resolve to “keep the memories of the past from fading and move forward with building a community that is resilient to disasters.”
Many bamboo rings hang inside the tree, making for a very unique display.
![[Mabi Reconstruction Bamboo Lights 2019] Looking up at the symbol tree from below](https://media.kuratoco.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/23050919/mabi-fukkou-takeakari_01.jpg)
Some visitors walked beneath the illuminated tree, which beautifully brightens the night in Mabi, looking up at the hanging rings.
Perhaps the display is designed to help people grasp the height the floodwaters reached by looking up.
I was shocked, too, thinking, “I can’t believe the water reached this high back then…” and resolved to keep the terror of flooding in mind.
Others commented that the connected bamboo rings brought to mind the recovery process, with people joining hands and moving forward together.
Around the tree, bamboo objects glowed red, blue, and green, while orange lights like candle flames enveloped the area. It was so beautiful that before I knew it, I had forgotten the cold and was completely absorbed in the display.
From the Writer
I hoped that “Mabi Reconstruction Bamboo Lights” would attract not only local residents living in Mabi, but also “people from other areas.”
I wanted people to enjoy the soothing soft glow of the bamboo lights, of course, but also because I thought that visiting Mabi in person would help them reflect on disasters.
I, too, visited Mabi for the first time since the disaster, and found myself wondering how the people affected had each spent the past year and a half.
The entrance to Mabi Fureai Center, the event venue, faces Prefectural Route 278.
You can see the large symbol tree from the road, but if you have time, park your car and take a good look at it.
But it’s very cold outdoors!
If “Mabi Reconstruction Bamboo Lights” is held again in the winter of 2020, be sure to dress warmly, with a coat and blanket, for example.
Mabi Reconstruction Bamboo Lights 2019 details
| Name | Mabi Reconstruction Bamboo Lights 2019 |
|---|---|
| Dates | Friday, December 13, 2019–Sunday, January 12, 2020 |
| Location | 40-1 Yata, Mabi-cho, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Admission (tax included) | Free |
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