The Kurama Fire Festival is
a celebration held at a shrine in Kyoto. Every year on
October 22, people parade through the community holding
some 500 torches of all sizes. A large torch is five meters
long and weighs 50kg. The origin of this tradition dates
back to the Heian Period when village members would build
a bonfire to greet the deity of the shrine. This annual
festival attracts more than 10,000 spectators.
