Kurama Himatsuri (Fire Festival)
In the small northern Kyoto suburb of
Kurama, a huge energetic fire festival takes place on October 22 of each year. It original purpose was to illuminate the path through the world of the living for the spirits of the departed.
The festival begins at 6pm and continues past midnight. Tall fires are lit in front of homes in Kurama to mark the opening of the ceremonies. A procession of boys carrying small torches follows, and later teams of men chanting and marching to the rhythms of drums carry larger and larger torches, the largest of which weighs 100 kilograms. The torch bearers finally converge in front of
Yuki-jinja Shrine and a portable shrine, or mikoshi, is carried through the smoky streets until the festival ends. This is a truly unique festival and should be seen by anyone in Kyoto on the day it takes place.
