Otō Matsuri -- The Sacred Fire Festival

What Is Otō Matsuri?

February 6th is the day of "Otō Matsuri," the annual festival of Kamikura Shrine (an auxiliary shrine of Kumano Hayatama Taisha) in Shingu City, Wakayama Prefecture. Designated in 2016, together with Hayatama Taisha's Hayatama Festival, as a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property, it's known as one of Japan's most powerful fire rituals.

A Breathtaking Spectacle of Over 2,000 Men Racing Down the Mountain

Otō Matsuri is a men-only festival, celebrated in the local folk song "Shingu-bushi" with the line "Oto Matsuri is a festival of men."

• What happens: men in white robes, known as "agariko," gather at Kamikura Shrine carrying torches, then race down 538 steep stone steps together with their torches ablaze
• Scale of participation: more than 2,000 men take part each year, praying for a bountiful harvest and safety for their households
• Its cultural value: designated a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property for its solemnity and deep historical roots

A Scene Once Described as "A Waterfall of Fire, a Descending Dragon"

The sight of countless torches streaming down the stone steps all at once is sung of in the Shingu-bushi as "a waterfall of fire on the mountain, a descending dragon." This ritual, passed down through the mountains of Kumano, has deep historical ties to Shugendo, Japan's tradition of mountain asceticism.

Tips for Marking This Day

• Watch videos or photos of Otō Matsuri to experience its intensity
• Learn about the history of Kumano Hayatama Taisha and Kamikura Shrine
• If you have the chance, visit Shingu City to see the festival in person
• Learn about the connection between the Kumano Sanzan shrines and Shugendo

A Story of Fire and Faith, Carried On Since Ancient Times

The countless torches lighting up the night mountains of Kumano still carry forward an ancient faith and a community's bond. Let February 6th be a chance to reflect on the long history of prayer behind this powerful fire festival.