January 29, 2025 (Wednesday) 2025 Kaohsiung "Love River × Chiikawa" Winter Lantern Festival

🌟Travel Date: Wednesday, January 29, 2025

🗓️Attraction/Store Information:
📍Address:
🈺Opening Hours: 24 hours a day, some vendors have different hours.
💰Admission: Free.

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A detailed introduction to the 2025 Kaohsiung "Love River × Chiikawa" Winter Lantern Festival/Lantern Festival, including time, location, key events, transportation, and viewing recommendations:

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I. Event Overview
Event Name:
2025 Kaohsiung Lantern Festival: "2025 Kaohsiung Wonderland Winter Amusement Park" - Auspicious Chiikawa Theme
Date/Period:
January 25 (Saturday) to February 16 (Sunday), 2025
Location:
Love River Bay, Kaohsiung Port Piers 16-18, and Love River surrounding performance areas
Theme/Features:
Using the popular Japanese manga character "Chiikawa" as the theme, the performance will combine a winter amusement park with a light and shadow lantern festival, conveying the imagery of "a sense of micro-happiness in life."

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II. Key Performances and Programs

The following are the highlights of this event that are worth anticipating and worth planning your visit:

1. Main Lights and Character Installations
• Character balloons and installations featuring Gigi Kawa, Hachiwari, and Usagi will be displayed on Love River Bay.
• These characters will not only be on static display but will also participate in interactive activities such as water tours, light projections, and action displays.

2. Light Projection/Light Show "Maiji Party"
• The "Maiji Party" light show will be held every night, combining Gigi Kawa-related music (such as "Slumber Party") with light projections and character installations to create a vibrant display of light.
• The light show typically runs from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM, with performances occurring approximately every half hour. • If you're interested, you can search for the video: "2025 Kaohsiung Lantern Festival: Jiyikawa Light Sculpture Show" for live footage.

3. Closing Harbor Ceremony
• On the last day of the event (February 16th), there will be a "Closing Easter Egg": Jiyikawa, Little Eight Cat, and Bunny will take a water-based harbor tour in the afternoon, finally reuniting at Pier 17 to bid farewell to the audience.
• The closing ceremony will begin at 3:00 PM, followed by character interactions with the audience, photo opportunities, and other activities.

4. Winter Amusement Park and Facilities
• In addition to the Lantern Festival, there will be 25 attractions at Piers 16-18 during the event. Some of these rides are mechanical, while others will feature child-friendly areas like air cushions and ball pits.
• No entrance fee is required for admission/play; simply collect a "park ticket" and enjoy free access to the attractions (limited availability and times).
• Park opening hours: Weekdays from 3:00 PM, extended to 9:00 PM on holidays.

5. Lantern Distribution & Pop-up Shop
• During the event, small Ghikawa-shaped lanterns will be distributed as Lantern Festival souvenirs.
• Lanterns may be available due to ticket collection, queuing arrangements, or special dates; please pay attention to official announcements.
• Pop-up shops and surrounding markets will be set up at the Pop Music Center and around the pier, selling Ghikawa-themed merchandise, peripheral dolls, souvenirs, and more.

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III. Transportation, Time, and Exhibition Visiting Suggestions

Transportation Options and Suggestions
• Due to traffic restrictions, some light rail stations may suspend boarding and alighting services on popular days (such as the Spring Festival holiday).
• We recommend taking the Kaohsiung MRT combined with light rail, bus, or shuttle services, which is more convenient than driving. For example, take the MRT to Yanchengpu Station or Central Park Station, then transfer to the light rail or bus.
• On some popular light rail days, from 12:00 PM until the end of the day, there will be no boarding or alighting at Glory Pier Station (C10) to avoid crowds.
• It is recommended to walk from Love Pier, the Tourism Center, and the Sound Wave Tower to view the Lantern Festival from various exhibition areas.

Suggested Visiting Times
1. Evening (5:30 PM–6:30 PM) / Arrive at the venue and browse the pop-up shops, market, and take photos of the installations.
2. Evening (6:00 PM–10:00 PM) / Enjoy the light show, projection mapping, and character interactions. The light show runs every half hour.
3. Closing Eve (February 16th) / Arrange to enjoy the water parade and reunion ceremony from the afternoon to near dusk.
4. During holidays and the Lunar New Year holiday / Crowds may be high, so arrive early to secure a spot and take advantage of transportation and regulatory information.

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IV. Photo Spots and Strategies
• Shore-side Photography: The Love River Bay shoreline and the pier area are great locations for photographing the giant balloons, installations, and light projections.
• Water-Based Photography: If you can take a boat or view the scene up close from the river, you can capture reflections of the characters and the light and water effects.
• Light Mapping Show: The light show combines projection and lasers, so use a slow shutter speed, a tripod, and exposure control when photographing.
• Closing Parade Itinerary: On the afternoon of February 16th, there are several locations along the parade route where you can capture dynamic images of the characters moving.

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💞 Tips and Recommendations
Kaohsiung has unexpectedly collaborated with my favorite cartoon IP, Jiyikawa. The main characters have all been recreated as giant inflatable dolls, scattered around the Love River. Minibus appears at the Kaohsiung Ocean Pop Music Hall, Jiy appears at Glory Pier, and Usagi Bunny appears at Shin Kong Pier. Starting at 6:00 PM, there's also a light show every hour. The show combines projections, laser lights, and Jiyikawa's theme music, bringing the city to life and satisfying every Jiyikawa fan.

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