Dates: Early-Late March
Place: Ojo-dake & Aso Shrine
City: Minami-Aso Village at Aso City, Kumamoto Prefecture
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A fire festival which is held annually in March close to the Aso Shrine on the volcanic Mount Aso in Kyushu is an incredible spectacle that sees participants twirl burning bales of hay around their heads and setting fire to the plains. The ceremony is a purification ritual in order to maintain the pasture grass in good condition and is carried out in a number of places. The main event of this festival is the Dai Himonjiyaki which is held in Ojo-dake on the second Saturday of March. On the mountain slope, a 350 m Chinese character signifying ‘fire’ appears, after a mesmerising drumming display, and then spreads. The excitement of this spectacular ceremony continues until late into the night.
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