People admire the Luminarie illuminations as a part of the 19th Kobe Luminarie on Dec. 5, 2013 in Kobe, Japan. The annual illumination event began in 1995 to commemorate the victims of Hanshin Awaji Great Earthquake. (Buddhika Weerasinghe/Getty Images)

Though the brilliant display of lights looks as if it could be another Christmas celebration, the Kobe Luminarie in Japan has a more somber purpose at its heart - remembering the thousands of people who died in a 1995 earthquake.

After the devastating Great Hanshin earthquake struck the Japanese city of Kobe in January 1995, killing more than 6,000 people and causing around $100 billion in damage, the city struggled to rebuild. To celebrate the city's achievements and offer its citizens hope in a time of darkness, the Italian government donated hundreds of thousands of individually painted lights to adorn the city, reported Curbed.

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The installation, designed by Italian Studio Festi in collaboration with Hirokazu Imaoka, was meant to stand for only one year but was so popular it has made a reappearance every December and is now in its 19th year.

Designed as a type of "ceremonial bonfire," according to the event's website, the Kobe Luminarie draws close to five million visitors each year.

This year the lights will be lit for several hours every evening from December 6 to 17. If you're in Japan for the holiday season, be sure to head to Kobe to see the spectacular memorial.

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