The Spirits of Kyoto Are Really Spoiled!

Kyoto Gozan Okuribi, or Daimonji Festival is on August 16th every year at the tail end of Obon festival. At the end of Obon normally a bonfire is lit to guide the spirits of the dead back to their homes in the afterlife. But in Kyoto five mountains are set aflame in the shapes of five different kanjis. It is a huge event and people come from all around to see the mountains set on fire just after dark. Large bonfires are lit in patterns that cover the mountainsides to give the effect of kanjis the size of a mountain are written in fire floating in the night sky. The fires burn for about an hour or two before they die out. So don’t show up too late!

References

In English

https://www.jnto.go.jp/ph/spot-activity/kansai/kyoto/kyoto-gozan-okuribi/

https://www.japan.travel/en/spot/76/

In Japanese

http://www.gozan-okuribi.com/

https://ja.kyoto.travel/event/major/okuribi/

Photo thanks to sprklg @ Flickr.com.

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