Fire on the Mountain - Japanese Fire Festival

http://samuraidave.wordpress.com/2008/11/18/rain-fails-to-dampen-japanese-fir...
Mt. Kurama in northern Kyoto comes alive with the fires of hundreds of torches some of them over 15 feet long requiring 4-5 men to carry them. It's a very old tradition going back to the late 8th Century. The torches are used to guide spirits through the human world to their own world so they don't stray and cause mischief. It's a great festival with lots of energy.

This from the first time I went in 2005:
http://samuraidave.wordpress.com/2007/03/20/japanese-fire-festival-on-kyotos-...

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• japan
• kyoto
• fire
• festival
• kurama
• matsuri
• culture
• himatsuri
• tengu
• roving-ronin-report
• fire-festival

[Hikosaemon]

Great vid man, your vid with Victor was a great background as well by the way. I had never really detected any perceived deficiencies in your Japanese, because like Victor said, you more than make up for it with your knowledge and appreciation of the history and culture. This matsuri is cool, and I'll bet that few Japanese know much about it. Thanks for making this and keep the vids coming man.

Peace

[RoninDave]

thanks! Yeah, ironically I don't have enough time to study Japanese as I'm often too busy studying Japanese history and going to a slew of festivals. Knowledge of history gives me far more when traveling than being able to ask where the bathrooms are!

Anyway, I've got a ton of footage from various festivals that I have yet to get at editing - easily a dozen from Tohoku alone - but time permitting I will be posting those whenever I can!

[Snelis]

Great video! I wish I could be there and feel the atmosphere of such an old tradition. Over here in Sweden, we don't really have those kinds of traditions, only ones from like 18th-20th century. But man, a festival that's 1300 years old. Amazing.

Well, I guess if we had that here in Sweden we'd be raping and pillaging like the old vikings. That wouldn't be alot of fun, so I guess it's a good thing we only have young traditions, :P.

Thanks for uploading!

[RoninDave]

nothing wrong with a bit of Viking fun!

[SuperSalvatore27]

then they sicrifice a demi virgin to the kamis and eat the meat that is good!!!

[novanine]

Great vid. Very interesting.

[HaywireEagle]

ehh, never mind, I misread, and misinterpreted the whole thing, forget I said anything! my bad!

[HaywireEagle]

Very interesting video, I kinda always wanted to go to a Japanese Festival, but that dream is far off.

side note: Since you say you spend more time with Japanese History then the language itself, which I would guess make it hard to learn at the source. How do you manage to get about? have a handy friend who works like a translator?

[Daichen]

is it wrong for me to have this strong urges to throw corns into the big torch?

[Hikosaemon]

Oh yes, vikings, definitely, video needs more vikings...

[KIZUMAN]

wow!!nice nice!!

I want going!!

[imnot1000sure]

あの祭り　は　きれい　です

beautiful festival