Best Spots for viewing Obon Daimonji Bonfires
Visitors to Kyoto may recall there is a week or so in August when trains are particularly crowded, and many family-run shops and restaurants close for business although banks and government offices stay open.
This is of course Obon, when Japanese people honor ancestral spirits in days of remembrance that incorporate Buddhist and Shinto elements. Such days are not official holidays, but companies often give staff time off to visit graves, attend rituals, or simply have family gatherings. The period is from Aug 13-16, but is usually extended to the weekend before and after. In 2024, so many passengers are expected that the fastest Nozomi trains of Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen will sell only reserved seat tickets between Aug 9-18.
In Kyoto, it is on Aug 16 every year that the Obon festival reaches its finale. Gigantic bonfires are lit on 5 mountains in a ritual called Daimonji, or Gozan no Okuribi. On this day, ancestral spirits are sent back to their realms, following days of rituals that honor their homecoming.
This 500-year-old tradition used to bring people onto their roofs, where there are fire look-outs, to watch the bonfires alongside all their neighbors. (Please see our blog obon-in-the-old-days featuring a local resident’s reminiscence of bonfire viewing in the past. )
Such scenes can now only be imagined or recreated in movies, since there are no longer any rooftop look-outs in a modern city, and mountain views are mostly blocked out by tall buildings.
But wherever there are strategic viewpoints remaining, such as from hills and bridges, or on the high floors of tall buildings, people still flock in for the photogenic spectacles.
Bonfires depicting Kanji characters plus the Boat and Torii Gate symbols will be lit one after another from 20:00 (for about 30 minutes each) on 5 mountains in Kyoto’s east, north and west sides, in the following order:
If you would like to experience bonfire viewing, please see our map for the best vantage points outside of hotels, restaurants and private establishments.
Highlights
In Arashiyama around Togetsukyo Bridge and Nakanoshima Island, floating lanterns will be released from the bridge between 19:00 and 21:00 in a festival called Tōrō Nagashi to commemorate the souls of the dead. One can enjoy fine views of the Torii Gate symbol as lanterns on Katsura River drift into the distance.
Similarly, Hirosawa Pond near Daikaku-ji in the Arashiyama Sagano area (about 30 minutes walk from Togetsukyo Bridge), also has Tōrō Nagashi between 19:00 and 21:00 and good views of the Torii Gate symbol. Surrounded by nature, the atmosphere is magical.
Funaokayama Park rises to a hill-top with good views of 4 of the procession of flames - Left Dai, Boat, Dai and Myō characters. But itself and the surrounding areas are not well-lit, so we advise caution when visiting this wonderfully strategic spot.
A lesser known spot is Aeon Mall Kyoto Gojō, although it will also be crowded with locals. It has a parking lot on its 5/F roof with full views of Torii Gate, left Dai and Dai characters.
Kyoto Station Building Skyway has views of all 5 characters. However only several hundred spaces are available every year (650 for 2024) and tickets need to be booked well in advance. Kyoto Tower also has limited spaces (160 for 2024) that need to be booked well in advance.
