Monks set the stage for an annual fire-walking ritual aimed at burning away bad luck near Mount Takao, Japan, March 10, 2019. (Michelle S. Preston)
Monks will soon descend from Mount Takao for an annual ritual that sees them and daring visitors walk barefoot across fire in a dramatic display of endurance and spiritual purification.
The Fire-Walking Festival, or Saito Goma-Ku, is scheduled for 1 p.m. on March 1 outside the Kito-den Hall in Hachioji, a western suburb of Tokyo. The event, held at the base of the sacred mountain, draws thousands of spectators each year.
Visitors are encouraged to arrive early to secure a prime viewing spot for the bonfire. Many bring picnic blankets to stake out a place on the gravel lot where the ceremony takes place. Nearby food stalls will serve festival favorites such as yakisoba, okonomiyaki, and other Japanese street food.
Approximately 1,500 people are expected to walk on fire during a festival next month at Mount Takao in western Tokyo. (Claire Jenq/Stars and Stripes)
At 9 a.m. on festival day, organizers will distribute up to 1,000 numbered tickets to those who wish to participate in the fire-walking. For a small fee, attendees can also purchase nadegi, wooden sticks inscribed with their names and wishes, which monks will burn in the sacred fire as an offering.
As the ceremony begins, monks march into the lot, rhythmically beating drums and blowing conch shells. They place large wooden talismans, known as ofuda, around a pile of evergreen branches before lighting the bonfire.
From the front row, spectators will feel the scorching heat as the fire roars. Some monks chant in unison, while others, clad in animal furs, work to control the flames. They rush back and forth, dousing the fire with wooden buckets of water.
Meanwhile, two monks stand shirtless before boiling kettles, dipping branches into the steaming water and whipping their own backs in a test of endurance.
Visitors are encouraged to arrive early to secure a prime viewing spot for the bonfire for the Fire-Walking Festival at Mount Takao in Tokyo. (Claire Jenq/Stars and Stripes)
Approximately 1,500 people are expected to walk on fire during a festival next month at Mount Takao in western Tokyo. (Claire Jenq/Stars and Stripes)
Once the fire is reduced to smoldering embers, the monks carve out two paths through the ashes and are the first to walk barefoot across the charred remains. Participants, including those without numbered tickets, are invited to follow, stepping carefully over the embers in a symbolic act of renewal.
Approximately 1,500 visitors are expected to take part in the fire-walking, according to a Yakuoin temple spokesperson. The ritual is believed to cleanse participants of impurities, offering spiritual renewal just in time for spring.
On the QT
Directions: It’s a 7-minute walk from Takao Station to the Takao-san Kito-den Hall parking lot.
Times: The event begins at 1 p.m. on March 1.
Cost: Entry is free.
Food: Food stalls serve Japanese street foods, including yakisoba.
Information: Online: takaosan.or.jp/english/events.html
