Kyoto Gozan no Okuribi 2026
Giant kanji and shapes blaze on five mountains around Kyoto to send ancestral spirits home at the close of Obon.
When · Where
- When
- 2026/08/16 11:00 – 2026/08/16
- Where
- Mountains surrounding Kyoto (Daimonji et al.)（Mt. Nyoigatake (Daimonji) and four other peaks, Kyoto）
- City
- Kyoto
- Getting there
- Viewable from the Kamo River banks; Demachiyanagi or Kyoto Station areas
- Price
- Free
- Organizer
- Kyoto preservation associations (per mountain)
Good to know for visitors
- Getting there
- Viewable from the Kamo River banks; Demachiyanagi or Kyoto Station areas 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, date night, solo-goers
Highlights
- The huge 'Dai' (大) character igniting first at 20:00
- Five mountain fires lit in sequence
- A solemn, centuries-old Obon farewell ritual
Background & story
A Buddhist Obon tradition of uncertain medieval origin, the Gozan no Okuribi guides ancestral spirits back to the other world with sacred mountain fires.
Good to know
The Kamo River near Demachiyanagi gives a clear view of the 'Dai' fire — arrive before sunset.