O-Taimatsu festival in Nara at Todaiji temple

This is a close up of the guy running down the temple with the giant flaming pine ball on the end of the bamboo.

When ten priests enter the Nigatsudo hall in the evening, people called douji carry huge torches to light up the path for the priests. The douji run through the balcony of the Nigatsudo, waving the burning torches. You will see showers of flickering light and sparks from the burning bamboo. On the 12th, eleven priests enter the hall and eleven torches are carried to the balcony instead of ten. It's the most crowded day to view o-taimatsu. It sounds dangerous, but many spectators try to be exposed to some sparks, hoping bad luck will stay away.

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• Nara
• Japan
• Todaiji
• o-taimatsu
• Fire festival