With a history of over 1600 years, the Oniyo Fire Festival in Fukuoka's Kurume City is held on the 7th of January each year. It's regarded as one of Japan's top three fire festivals, and has also been designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property.
The big (quite literally) drawcard of the festival are six massive bamboo torches with a length of around 13 meters and a weight of 1.2 tons. They're carried around Daizenji Tamataregu Shrine, scattering sparks as they're paraded.
It's said that those who light the torches will be blessed with good health, and the festival sees the shrine packed with visitors praying for the safety of their families, the prevention of natural disasters, and good fortune.
The festival runs from around 13:00 to 23:30, with the large torch lighting taking place around 21:00.
Getting there
Daizenji Tamataregu Shrine is located just under 10 minutes on foot from Daizenji Station, which is served by the Tenjin Ōmuta Line.
Kim Bergström @kim.b
Almost 12 years living in Asia. Passionate about Japan's off-the-beaten-path spots, family-friendly travel, flower events (all of them!) and the amazing tea culture here. 🍵🌼🌸
