Another interesting holiday is the Daimonji Gozan Okuribi, which is annually celebrated in the middle of the hot August. Three days before the holidays, locals meet the souls of their deceased ancestors, and on the day of the celebration, they see them off to where they came from. This tradition is known as "Urabon'e". Lights are lit in the mountains around Kyoto (and it must be said that each has its own meaning). Each fire should burn for at least half an hour - this is done so that the spirits cannot get lost in the darkness of the night. After the ceremony, the ancestors' souls will be able to quietly enter the world of the dead, leaving our world for a whole year. The lights are striking in their beauty, and it’s best to admire them from a viewing platform in the center of the Japanese cultural capital.
One more festival with the involvement of the fire is called Kurama no Hi Matsuri, which can be translated as the “Kurama Fire Festival”. It is scheduled for late October, and the venue, as the name suggests, is Mount Kurama. At this time, visitors are waiting to see men dressed in loincloths carry giant torches over themselves. The spectacle is fascinating with its scale and colorfulness, and therefore visitors are advised to take more comfortable places and watch the action. On the same day, another holiday is celebrated - Jidai Matsuri, during which local residents wearing traditional costumes walk from the Imperial Palace to Heian Shrine. This is another interesting parade, through which you can get to know the local culture.
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