Kirk here. This news report about the Yamaga Lantern festival is in Japanese but the main thing you need to know to understand what you are seeing is that the miniature buildings and bridges, etc. that you see are all made of paper. The same techniques used in making the paper lanterns can be used to make lots of stuff.
This was broadcast before the main event (1000 women dancing in unison). Perhaps I will be able to post a report about that later.
