In the third of our recent Japanese festival galleries (the first two being the Nada Fighting Festival and the Jidai Matsuri), we have some pictures from one of the most eccentric events in Japan – the Kurama no Hi Matsuri (鞍馬の火祭 – the “Kurama Fire Festival”). Throughout the evening, giant home-made pinewood torches were paraded up and down the main street of a small town in Kyoto, then hoisted up vertically in front of a shrine, all to the sound of beating drums and chants of “Saireya! Sairyo!” (“Have a good festival”).
Thankfully, there was no wicker man at the end.
(click to enlarge)
You can find an official explanation of the festival here.