【Wonderful Kyoto①】GOZAN OKURIBI 2022

On 16 August 2022, The Kyoto Gozan Okuribi was held. Gozan Okuribi means five mountain bonfires for our ancestors.

Gozan Okuribi (cited from '2022 Gozan Okuribi Schedule', City of Kyoto and Kyoto City Tourism Association).

This year was the first full-scale lighting of bonfires in the three years since the spread of COVID-19. Every year, the Daimonji is lit at exactly 8:00 pm on 16 August, followed by the Myoho at 8:05 pm, the Funagata at 8:10 pm, the Hidari (Left) Daimonji at 8:15 pm and the Toriigata at 8:20 pm.

Gozan Okuribi map (cited from 'Gozan Okuribi Map', City of Kyoto and Kyoto City Tourism Association).

Gozan Okuribi is the traditional event which sends ancestors who have been welcomed into this world for summer to heaven. I lost my maternal grandfather last year and my paternal grandmother this year. I couldn't go back to my hometown during summer, so I was looking at the Daimonji bonfire while hoping to send them to heaven. I am grateful that they are watching over me in heaven. I will spend my days so that I can repay my grandparents for their kindness.

Zaku-Zaku-Gohan, Kenta Kevee Kisaï, #27