Gozan no Okuribi is one of the iconic festivals of Kyoto.

japanese Japan no Kyoto culture festivals kansai Nihon matsuri gozan okuribi



大文字　2008 京都五山の送り火 Gozan no Okuribi (by makupo)


五山送り火 / Gozan no Okuribi is one of the iconic festivals of Kyoto. It is the culmination of the O-Bon festival on August 16th, in which five giant bonfires are lit on mountains surrounding the city. It signifies the moment when the spirits of deceased family members, who are said to visit this world during O-Bon, are believed to be returning to the spirit world—thus the name Okuribi (送り火) (roughly, “send-off fire”)





出典：http://www.flickr.com/photos/makupo/2768000682/