Kyoto Gozan no Okuribi (Daimonji Bonfire)

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Gozan no Okuribi (bonfires of five mountains) is a Kyoto's summer traditional festival that takes place at Mt. Nyoigadake (also known as Mt. Daimonji) and other mountains on August 16th annually. The festival is counted as one of Kyoto's four major festivals along with Aoi Matsuri, Gion Matsuri and Jidai Matsuri. Fires are set on five mountains in the shape of characters or symbols. These brazing fires are believed to guide the departed souls to the mortal world. It starts with Nyoigadake at 8 p.m. and continues onto another mountain in five-minute intervals. When the fire is set on the last mountain Mandarayama at 8:20 p.m., the blazing characters beautifully stand out in the summer night sky in Kyoto.

Most Well-known Bonfire of the Five Mountains

Daimonji is the most famous bonfire of the five fires. It is believed when you write your name and a name of an illness on a wooden strip called gomagi and burn it in the bonfire, your disease will be cured. The gomagi are used to set fire on this mountain.

Beautiful Bonfires

The "Daimonji" (大) bonfire is the most famous, but others are stunning as well. You will see "Hidari (left) Daimonji" (大) on MT. Okitayama near Kinkaku-ji temple, "Myo" (妙) on Mt. Matsugasaki Nishiyma and "Ho" (法) on Higashiyama. The "Myo" and "Ho" make up the word "Myoho" (prominent teaching of Buddha). There is also a boat-shaped bonfire on Mt. Nishigamofuneyama and a shape of a shrine gate on Mt. Senojiyama in Kamisaga. These five bonfires make up Kyoto Gozan no Okuribi.

Best Viewing Spot!

Because Gozan no Okuribi takes place on each of the five notable mountains in Kyoto, you can see them from various places. The best place to see the famous Daimonji is Kyoto Gosho (Kyoto Imperial Palace). To see Hidari Daimonji, we recommend Kinkaku-ji.