Look at the picture on this page.
\nYou can see the Kanji \u201cDai \u201con Higashiyama Mountain on August 16th.
\nHeld on August to bid farewell to the souls of ancestors. Fires are lit at night in the form of Chinese characters on five mountains around Kyoto.
\nOne said that either Kukai or Ashikaga the Eighth began to light the Chinese character \u201cDai\u201d.
\nThe other, the history is mystery. No one knows “who?”, “Why?”, and “When?”
\nEven so,Okuribi lasts for a long time and is one of the famous events during the \u201cObon festival\u201d.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/kyonaka-gozan.kyoto\/media\/koi\/sites\/10\/20190815-1.jpg\")
\nObon is a three-day Buddhist holiday: August 13th,14th, and 15th.
\nPeople believe that Obon is the time of year when the spirits of the dead return to their former homes and families. This festival, \u201cDaimonji\u201d, probably originated as a way to guide these spirits back to the spirits world. Burning the firewood makes the dark night brighter.<\/p>\n
People visit each shrine to get Gomaki(\u8b77\u6469\u6728) for the repose of one’s ancestor’s soul before the event.
\nThe five send-off fires consist of the kanji character for \u201cbig\u201d on two mountains, two kanji that form Myoho (wondrous dharma) on two others, and two bonfires made into shapes like a boat and a torii gate.
\nThe fires are lit each by one at 20:00, then people gather at the streets, along the river, and in tall buildings to watch them.
\nWhen the fire is put out, people take the charcoal powder as a charm to ward off evil spirits.<\/p>\n
Time of Lighting: 20:00
\nGomaki:
\nAugust 15th\/12:00~19:00, August 16th \/6:00~14:00 @Ginkaku-ji
\nViewing Spots:
\n– Kamogawa River (from Marutamachi to Misonobashi Bridge)
\n– D\u014dshisha University’s Kanbaikan Building<\/p>\n
Time of Lighting: 20:05
\nGomaki: n\/a
\nViewing Spots:
\n– Kitayama Street near Matsugasaki Station
\n– North of Takanobashi Bridge
\n– Takaragaike Driving School<\/p>\n
Time of Lighting: 20:10
\nGomaki:
\nAugust 15th\/8:00~16:00, August 16th \/8:00~10:00 @ Saih\u014d-ji
\nViewing Spots:
\n– Misonobashi Bridge<\/p>\n
Time of Lighting: 20:15
\nGomaki:
\nAugust 15th\/9:00~15:00, August 16th \/7:00~14:00 @Kinkaku-ji
\nViewing spots:
\n– Nishi\u014dji Street<\/p>\n
Time of Lighting: 20:20
\nGomaki:
\nAugust 15th\/10:00~16:00, August 16th \/9:00~15:00 @Adashino Nenbutsu-ji
\nViewing Spots:
\n– Matsuobashi Bridge
\n– Hirosawa no Ike Pond<\/p>\n
You should receive such local information of Kyoto by an application “KoI APP”.
\nWith this application, even if you don\u2019t have Wi-Fi, you can find nearby stores and so on.
\nYou can install the application from the following URL.<\/p>\n