Japanese name：京都五山送り火（きょうとごんざんおくりび）
Event period：August
Venue：Kyoto
The flame of prayer burning in the thousand-year-old capital
【history】
The Kyoto Gozan Okuribi is a traditional event held every year on August 16 in Kyoto, originating from the ‘sending-off fires’ meant to guide the spirits of ancestors, who are welcomed during Obon, back to the spirit world. Its history is very old, with no clear records remaining, but it is believed to have already been practiced during the Muromachi period, becoming deeply rooted in the daily life and spiritual culture of the people of Kyoto.
Moreover, the Gozan Okuribi is not merely a tourist event; it is a religious and communal practice that has been passed down through generations by local groups and preservation societies. For the people of Kyoto, it is cherished as ‘a night to honor ancestors and pray quietly.’
【Feature】
The most notable feature of the Gozan no Okuribi is the five enormous fire characters and shapes lit on the mountains of Kyoto. Each has its own meaning, and the order in which they are ignited is also predetermined.
The five fires of the sending-off
【Content】
| Name of the mountain | Text and shapes | Ignition timing | Meaning |
| 東山如意ヶ嶽 | 「大」 | 20:00 | The most famous. A symbolic fire for sending off the spirits of ancestors. |
| 松ヶ崎西山・東山 | 「妙」「法」 | 20:05 | “Myōhō” represents the Lotus Sutra and expresses a wish for the Buddha’s protection. |
| 西賀茂船山 | 船形 | 20:10 | Represents a ship that carries souls. |
| 大北山 | 「大」 | 20:15 | It is called ‘Hidari Daimonji’ and forms a pair with the ‘Dai’ of Higashiyama. |
| 嵯峨曼荼羅山 | 鳥居形 | 20:20 | A torii gate symbolizing the entrance to the afterlife. |
The Gozan Okuribi is not an event with flashy performances like a tourist attraction. Rather, it is a ceremony carried out quietly and solemnly, with prayers.
Flow of the event (general understanding):
１．During the Obon period, each household prepares altars and lights to welcome the spirits of
their ancestors.
２．On the night of August 16, fires are lit sequentially on the five mountains.
３．People in Kyoto watch the flames from their homes, bridges, or temple grounds, sending off
the spirits of their ancestors.
４．After the fires are lit, the firebeds on the mountains are carefully cleaned and maintained by
preservation societies in preparation for the following year.
The flames of the Okuribi are not just “fire”; they have been passed down as a light imbued with “gratitude to ancestors” and “prayers for daily safety”.
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