Five Mountains, Five Fires: Kyoto's Gozan Okuribi Send-Off

Published October 20, 2026 at 6:47 PM JST

Each mid-August night, five giant fire figures glow on the hills around Kyoto to guide ancestral spirits home at the close of Obon, and the whole city pauses to watch.

Quick answer: Gozan no Okuribi, often called Daimonji, is Kyoto's Obon send-off in which five fires shaped like characters and symbols are lit on the surrounding mountains. It usually takes place on the night of August 16, with the first fire lit around 8 pm and the others following within about twenty minutes. Organizers and the city confirm the details each year, so check the official Kyoto tourism pages before you plan.

A night when the hills of Kyoto speak

Kyoto sits in a basin ringed by low green mountains, and on one summer evening each year those slopes turn into a canvas of fire. Gozan no Okuribi, which can be read as the Five Mountain Send-Off Fires, closes the Obon season, the days when families in Japan welcome the spirits of their ancestors home. When Obon ends, the fires light the way back, so the spirits can return to the other world with a clear path.

The best known of the five is the large character 大 (dai, meaning great or large) on the eastern hills, which is why the whole event is so often called Daimonji. The other four fires are the paired characters 妙 and 法, a boat shape, a second 大 on the western side known as Hidari Daimonji, and a shrine gate shape. Together they ring the city from east to west, and on a clear night a viewer in the right spot can pick out several at once.

There is a quiet beauty to the occasion. Streets that were busy a few minutes earlier go still as the first fire appears. Many people press their palms together, some wear light summer yukata, and others simply watch in silence. The mood is less like a party and more like a shared farewell, which is exactly what makes it memorable.

Origins and the stories behind them

Nobody can say for certain when the fires began. Kyoto University's own campus guide notes that sources disagree, though the event is commonly said to go back to the Muromachi period, roughly the fourteenth to sixteenth centuries. A Japanese weather-information article on the subject lists several popular theories, and it is worth knowing that these are traditions rather than settled history.

One story links the fires to the priest Kukai, who is said to have written the shape of a glowing light that appeared on a mountain, though that article notes there is no clear historical record behind it. Another connects the event to the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa, tied to the Ginkaku-ji area. A third points to the calligrapher Konoe Nobutada in the early Edo period, since a seventeenth-century guidebook says the large character was written in his hand. Each theory adds a little color, and part of the fun is that the true answer remains a mystery.

Even the meaning of the character 大 is debated. Ideas include a star shape meant to keep away evil, a symbol of the four elements, or a human figure praying for good health, since the character can also suggest a person with arms and legs outstretched. Whatever the origin, the fires have long been an honored way for the city to say goodbye to its ancestors.

The five fires and their mountains

According to the Kyoto tourism information, the five fires are lit in a set order. First is Daimonji on Mt. Nyoigatake in the Higashiyama hills, lit at about 8:00 pm. Next come Myo and Ho in the Matsugasaki area, with Myo on Mt. Mangyoro and Ho on Mt. Daikokuten, at about 8:05 pm. The boat-shaped Funagata on Mt. Funayama in Nishigamo follows at about 8:10 pm, then Hidari Daimonji on Mt. Okitayama at about 8:15 pm, and finally the shrine-gate-shaped Toriigata on Mt. Mandara in the Saga Toriimoto area at about 8:20 pm.

Each fire burns for around thirty minutes, so the five overlap and the full set glows together for a short while. Exact minutes can shift slightly from year to year, and weather such as rain or strong wind can affect timing, so the official schedule for the current year is the one to trust.

The shapes carry their own meanings. A Kyoto University description explains that local belief sees the 大 as a spirit that chants, travels by boat around the mountains, is reflected in a mirror, and passes through the torii gate back to the spirit world. The boat, the gate and the pair of characters 妙 and 法, which refer to Buddhist teaching, can be read as stages of that journey home.

How the evening unfolds

The send-off day begins long before dusk. Local residents prepare the fire sites, and on the mountains Buddhist rites and chanting take place before the lighting. At Daimonji, a ceremony with chanting precedes the lighting, according to Kyoto's tourism page. At Funagata, local families prepare the fire and a Buddhist service with Rokusai Nembutsu chanting accompanies it.

At dusk, people begin to gather along the Kamo River, on bridges, at park edges and on rooftops. The city asks neon, outdoor and advertising lights to be switched off from about 7:50 pm to 8:50 pm on the day, which helps the fires stand out in the dark. When the first fire lights, a gentle hush often settles over the crowd, and then each new fire is greeted with quiet appreciation.

Once the flames burn low, the night ends calmly. The embers fade, the lights of the city return, and Obon is over for another year. Many visitors say the contrast between the dark hills and the bright figures stays with them long after.

Rituals and the people behind the flames

The fires are not run by a single large company but by local preservation groups. Kyoto University's description credits a Daimonji Preservation Committee, along with members and volunteers, who spend months on the work. They cut pine, split logs, and stack wood on fire grates on the mountain so that the flames burn well, because, as a committee official says, the fire must burn strongly to send the spirits off properly.

A special part of the tradition is the gomagi, small wooden prayer sticks. Families write prayers on them for ancestors, for the health of the living, and for other wishes, and they are then burned in the fire. Kyoto's tourism page adds that people write their names and any ailments on the sticks, and that charcoal ashes taken home are said by tradition to help with illness. These details show how personal the festival is, even on such a large scale.

Knowledge is passed down within local families and communities. Hereditary duties for each mountain have been carried by generations of residents, which helps explain why the event feels so rooted in its neighborhoods. The fires at Hidari Daimonji and Toriigata have changed in method over the years, with a concrete hearth and iron trays used today, but the spirit of the service remains the same.

Watching as a visitor

Many places around central Kyoto give good views. The riverbanks of the Kamo River between roughly Marutamachi and Misono bridges are popular for the large Daimonji, and Kyoto Imperial Park is another suggested spot, according to the Kyoto tourism information. For Myo and Ho, visitors often head to Kitayama Street or the Takano River banks. Funagata is visible from the Kamo River near Kitayama Ohashi, Hidari Daimonji from Nishioji Street, and Toriigata from areas around Togetsukyo, Matsuo Bridge and Osawa Pond.

A few points of etiquette keep everyone safe and the mood respectful. The mountains are normally closed to entry, and climbing is not allowed on the day of the fires, partly because the trails are unlit and climbing interferes with the lighting work. Avoid using a smartphone while walking in the crowd, since collisions and falls are a real risk. Riverbanks can be dark and may be restricted if water levels rise, so follow the guidance of security staff.

Arrive early, bring water on hot evenings, and dress comfortably. Keep voices low while the fires burn, remembering that for many people nearby this is a moment of remembrance. A Kyoto newspaper report on the 2015 event described people watching in silence along the Kamo River, with many families in yukata, and cited a police estimate of about 60,000 spectators that year.

Recognition and a taste of Kyoto in August

According to Kyoto tourism information, all five of the fires are registered as Intangible Folk Cultural Properties of Kyoto City, a recognition of how important the tradition is to local life. The send-off is also one of the signature events of Kyoto's summer calendar, alongside the Gion Festival in July.

August is hot in Kyoto, so plan the day with shade and cool drinks in mind. Many visitors combine the evening with a stroll along the river, a visit to a temple during Obon, or a relaxed dinner earlier in the day. Yukata and uchiwa fans are a common sight on the riverbanks, giving the evening a nostalgic summer look.

If you cannot be in Kyoto in person, the fires are often covered by local media, but being in the city, feeling the evening air and sharing the hush with others is a very different experience. Check the official Kyoto tourism page for the current year's schedule, viewing map and any special notices.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Gozan no Okuribi held?

It is usually held on the night of August 16, as the closing event of Obon, with the first fire lit at about 8 pm. The city and the preservation groups confirm the exact schedule each year, and weather can change timing slightly, so check the official Kyoto tourism information before you go.

Which fire is the most famous?

The large character 大 on Mt. Nyoigatake in the Higashiyama hills is the best known, which is why the whole event is often called Daimonji. It is the first to be lit and is visible from many parts of central Kyoto, including the Kamo River area.

Can visitors climb the mountains to see the fires up close?

The mountains are normally closed to the public, and climbing is not allowed on the day of the fires. The slopes are steep and unlit, and the local groups need space to do their work. Instead, enjoy the view from the riverbanks, bridges and parks, where the fires are visible from a safe and comfortable distance.

Further reading: the Kyoto tourism page on the Gozan Okuribi, in Japanese, the Kyoto University campus guide to the Gozan Okuribi and the Kyoto City news notice on the Gozan Okuribi schedule.

Keep exploring: Aoi Matsuri: Kyoto's Elegant Hollyhock Festival; Jidai Matsuri: Kyoto's Autumn Walk Through a Thousand Years; Kurama Fire Festival: A Torch-Lit Autumn Night in Kyoto's Hills.