Kyoto Gozan Okuribi 京都五山送り火

The Kyoto Gozan Okuribi adds more heat to the hottest month of the year with its five blazing fires atop the mountains of Kyoto. The ceremony occurs annually on August 16th beginning at 8 p.m.

The best place to view the ceremony is from the center of the city.

Locals flock to the banks of the Kamo River between Sanjo and Imadegawa Streets to see the first fire lit on Daimonji-yama.

You can access Sanjo Keihan Station by the Tozai Subway Line.

During the week-long Obon holiday, it's believed that deceased ancestors return from the afterlife to visit the living. The Gozan Okuribi marks the end of their stay and guides the dead back to heaven with its burning fires.

Five bonfires are lit atop the large mountains surrounding the city on the north, east, and west sides. Three are in the shape of Chinese characters while the other two are in the shape of a shrine gate and a boat. The fires are enormous and can be seen from almost anywhere in the city.

The first fire is set at 8 p.m. on Daimonji—the main mountain of the festival—in the Higashiyama district . The four other fires are set on their respective mountains in counterclockwise order every 5 minutes. The fires each burn for about 40 minutes. 8:30 p.m. marks the sweet spot when they are all visible at once.