Kurama Fire Festival (Kurama no Hi Matsuri)
Men in loincloths haul flaming 80-kg torches through a mountain village after dark in one of Kyoto's wildest, most primal night festivals.
When · Where
- When
- 2026/10/22 09:00 – 2026/10/22
- Where
- Yuki Shrine, Kurama village（1073 Kuramahonmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto）
- City
- Kyoto
- Getting there
- Eizan Railway to Kurama Station (trains very crowded; expect restrictions)
- Price
- Free
- Organizer
- Yuki Shrine
Good to know for visitors
- Getting there
- Eizan Railway to Kurama Station (trains very crowded; expect restrictions) Open directions in Google Maps ↗
- Booking & entry
- Free to attend — details on the official page (button above).
- Language
- Mostly in Japanese — a translation app on your phone helps.
- Good for
- culture seekers, groups of friends, night owls
Highlights
- Giant flaming torches up to 80 kg
- Torch-lined village streets at night
- Climactic mikoshi descent near midnight
Background & story
Re-enacts a 940 AD ceremony when Yuki Shrine was moved to Kurama to protect the capital after disasters struck Kyoto.
Good to know
Arrive by late afternoon — access is heavily restricted once the torches are lit, and last trains fill fast.