Japan's Aomori Nebuta float to participate in Taiwan Lantern Festival

CHIAYI, Taiwan - A large illuminated festival float from the Nebuta Festival in Aomori, northeastern Japan, participated in the Taiwan Lantern Festival on Saturday, the first time such a float has been produced abroad in 25 years.

Nebuta artisans Hiromi Hayashi, 57, and Makoto Suwa, 47, worked together to build the float, featuring the goddess Puzih Mazu, in Taiwan from the end of January, and opened the work site to locals to offer insight into the craftsmanship behind the massive paper structure.