Taketa means bamboo and rice field, and what better way to celebrate the city's heritage with a bamboo light festival! The tradition was started in 2000 as a way of helping to regulate the rapidly growing bamboo that you can find all around the region, and the festival attracts tourists from all over the world who are keen to witness the 20,000 lanterns that go on display for three nights every year. The festival begins on the third Friday of November.