Daimonji Fire Festival

Description:

• This spectacular annual fire festival is held on August 16 to signal the end of the Buddhist Lent or "Obon", when five huge fires are lit at 8p on five mountains surrounding the city to guide the departing souls of the dead back home to heaven. The festival's full title is Daimonji Gozan Okuribi and the bonfires are in the shape of Chinese characters and other forms like a ship. The most famous fire is on Mount Daimonji and is the character "Dai" or big. The best views taking in all the fires are from the bridges over the Kamo River downtown, or better still from the tops of hotels which often charge a small fee.
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