Women wearing casual summer kimonos called yukata walk amongst illuminated paper lanterns as they visit the Yasukuni Shrine on the eve of the three-day Mitama-Matsuri, or Soul Festival, in Tokyo on July 13, 2012. About 300,000 people visit the shrine during the festival.

People visit the Yasukuni Shrine on the eve of the three-day Mitama-Matsuri, or Sould Festival, in Tokyo on July 13, 2012. The summer festival is held to comfort souls of the war dead.

Visitors walk in front of paper lanterns on the eve of the three-day Mitama-Matsuri, or Sould Festival, in Tokyo on July 13, 2012. About 3,000 paper lanterns are lit to comfort souls of the dead during the annual festival at the Yasukuni Shrine where more than 2.4 million war dead are enshrined.