Gozan Okuribi, popularly called Daimonji, is the climax of Kyoto's Obon season, held on the evening of August 16 each year. At 8 p.m., five enormous bonfire characters and symbols are lit sequentially on the mountains encircling the city — the most famous being the giant 大 (dai, meaning 'great') on Nyoigatake — to guide the spirits of ancestors back to the spirit world after the Obon holiday. Viewing spots along the Kamo River, on hotel rooftops, and in temple gardens fill with both locals and visitors. The ritual is deeply spiritual yet visually breathtaking, with each fire visible for roughly 30 minutes.
- Type
- Festival
- Category
- Matsuri
- Season
- Summer
- Month
- August 16
- Region
- Kansai
- Prefecture
- Kyoto
- City
- Kyoto
Highlights
- ◆Five sequential bonfires on Kyoto's surrounding hills
- ◆The iconic 大 (dai) character fire on Nyoigatake
- ◆Deeply spiritual send-off for Obon ancestral spirits
- ◆Kamo River and rooftop bars offer prime viewing
- ◆One of Japan's most iconic summer night spectacles