Gozan no Okuribi

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Near: Kyoto East  (Event is Free)

Event Date(s): Aug. 15, 2026
(Middle of Augest)
Dates are subject to change without notice. Check with the official organizers before making travel arrangements.

Gozan no Okuribi more commonly known as Daimonji, is held near Kyoto in the hills. A large Japanese Character shaped bonfires are lit to illuminate the surroundings.  The most popular character to be burned is "Dai" which means "Big".  It is said that the festival started, "to make light at the gate for seeing off the souls of ancestors after commemorating the welcoming of their souls".  The burning Japanese characters are very big and can be seen from most places in Kyoto city. One of the best places to see it is along the banks of the Kamo River near the stations Jingu-Marutamachi or Sanjo.

Kyoto, Kyoto Japan

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