Kurama no Hi Matsuri: Kurama’s fire festival

North of Kyoto, in the mountains and surrounded with heavy forests, rises Mount Kurama, where is held the fire festival – Kurama no Hi Matsuri – every year.

Back when Kyoto was the capital of Japan, and was known as Heian, clan wars were raging, to which added the 940’s devastating earthquake. To protect the capital from more disasters, the Emperor moved Yuki Myojin sanctuary – the Empire’s protector – to Kurama, at the North Kyoto which was considered as the gate of demons and evil spirits. The inhabitants lighted up fires all along the way to lead the gods and imperial procession. 

The fire festival has been celebrating this parade to this day. When the sun is set, the inhabitants exhibit their family treasures (armors, crockery…) and light fires – kagaribi – in front of their homes. Then, adults and children put on their traditional outfits to parade in the main street with burning torches – taimatsu. There are torches of all sizes, small ones for kids and bigger ones, up to 5 meter-long, carried by adults.

The procession is accompanied with shouts of “Saireya sairyo!” (Happy festival!) and goes to Yuki sanctuary where a Shinto ceremony is held.