Fuji Yoshida Fire Festival

by Brianin Japan, Yamanashion Posted on

The Fuji Yoshida Fire Festival occurs on the same dates every year, August 26-27, regardless of what day of the week it is.  This year it just happened to fall on a weekend, and our MWR tour company was making a one-day bus tour to go and see it.  Since next year it would be on a Monday, we thought this would be a good opportunity to check it out without having to use up any leave or holidays.  The bus tour was relatively cheap, and although it took longer to get there and back, not having to worry about driving was nice.  There really was no “group” aspect of the trip aside from the bus ride, so as soon as we got there we could wander off and do our own thing until it was time to leave again.  

The Fire Festival itself starts at Suwa Shrine and proceeds through the main street of Fuji Yoshida on route 137.  The festival is said to mark the ending of the official Mt. Fuji climbing season (which typically ends around September 10).  As the festival name suggests, the town comes alive with many bonfires and torches all through the night, earning the name “sea of fire.” Of course, there are a ton of elements to the festival,  most of which is hard for foreign visitors to fully grasp, so I’ve included a link below where you can find more information about the entire festival.

Fuji Yoshida Fire Festival:
http://www.mfi.or.jp/himatsuri/

On our way! At the obligatory rest stop on the expressway
We were dropped off right next to the shrine. We could've followed the tour guide if we wanted to but he made it clear that it wasn't necessary
One of the towers that would later be lined up in the middle of the path and lit on fire
Leading up to the main shrine area
Actually many different shrines in this one area
Many people waiting around
The two portable shrines
My hiking buddy from before
Transferring the Holy Spirit, hidden from human eyes by the white cloth
Sake! If you don't mind drinking from used (slightly washed) dishes
Random stickers
Fun for the kids too
Beginning of the procession
Was a bit nerve racking watching them squeeze over that tiny bridge
I really thought someone was going to fall off (nobody did)
Heading towards the main street
Standing up the fire towers after the shrines passed by
Taking break at the intersection
Lot of beer and cigarettes during this break...
For some reason, they took the shrines back towards the start, and then came back through the intersection again...
We went ahead down the main street (route 137) to check out the various stands lined along the sides
Just the local manhole cover
Clear skies and view of Mt. Fuji looking back up the main street
In front of the overnight resting place for the shrines... the festival would continue from here the next day. Our tour (and most others) was only there for the first night of festivities.
Really crowded now but a perfect backdrop of Mt. Fuji
Here they come!
First one going through...
... and then the second one
Once the shrines have arrived at their resting place, the remaining towers are set up
Then the fires are lit along the entire street
Some performers on the side
Slowly getting them all lit. I suppose this is what most people come to this festival to see
Unsurprisingly, there is little protection between people and the fires... even with all the little kids running around everywhere so you just have to be careful if you have little ones!
Near the bottom (northern end) of the main street, close to Mt. Fuji train station
Some of the more serious photographers/videographers

Once they were done transporting the shrines and lighting the fires, there wasn’t much else to see.  We had our fill of the main street crowd and stands so we walked over to another side street and headed back up towards the main shrine area where we started out.  

Even on some of the smaller side streets, businesses and homes will make their own little bon fires on the road. Notice the spooky lightning storm in the distance too?
Back at the main shrine area to see it at night
The towers are all lit now
As a final treat, we found some shingen mochi gari gari kun popsicles! I've written about shingen mochi from Yamanashi before but this was the first time we saw this version of gari gari kun. It was really good! Best of both worlds really... gari gari kun is one of my favorite popsicles, especially in the summer with all their different flavors.
Waiting for our bus to pick us up for the long (and late night) ride home

I guess this marks the end of Mt. Fuji hiking season!  Just a nice, quick trip away from the city for a unique festival that’s hard to come by.

Until next time!

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