It was a day early in spring, with a cloudless sky. Plum trees in full bloom and graves dotted the perimeter of a car park at the base of the mountain. A crowd gathered around a fenced-in area which contained a massive pile of cedar branches, cauldrons of boiling water tended by yamabushi and a large black statue surrounded by stylised red flames.
The Fire-walking Festival (Hi-Watari Matsuri) is held once a year, on the second Sunday in March, at the base of Mt. Takao in Tokyo. Mt Takao’s principle deity, Iizuna Daigongen, is invoked to relieve the world’s suffering. He is often depicted as a tengu (see photo above) and the temple near the top of the mountain is relatively famous for its tengu statues. The yamabushi chant mantras during the cedar-burning ceremony because sacred fires purify fires caused by disasters. Prayers are offered up for world peace, good health, disaster prevention, road safety and personal safety.
One of the symbols of the yamabushi is their horagai, a conch shell wrapped in netting with a mouthpiece attached. The first time I heard one was while I was climbing Mt. Takao, and I had no idea what the sound was or where it was coming from. I found out later, when a procession of yamabushi came down the mountain. Sometimes life is like that here.
The noise the horagai makes is horrific, like a herd of something is dying. Lucky you, you can hear it in the video below.
Before the main attraction (that would be “setting everything on fire”), a lone yamabushi approached the cauldron of boiling water (remember that?) and started to beat his naked back with cedar branches. Here’s the video!
The fire was started soon afterwards by thrusting burning staffs underneath the bonfire, which soon caught on fire and spread.
I wouldn’t describe myself as a pyromaniac (although whether the local police force feel the same is another question), but it was awesome. The height the flames reached and the ash falling on my head and the monks dashing around the fire and the officials throwing things into the crowd… it was incredible. Here, have some shaky video footage which doesn’t do it justice:
When fire had died down, leaving a raised path of dying embers through the still-fierce flames, the yamabushi proceeded through it. And the people in front of me in a roped-off area followed. Other people rushed forwards and a queue formed. I knew that members of the public were able to do it because the website told me it was possible, but was registration needed? Did I need to buy a ticket?
It never occurred to me to wonder if it would hurt. I was pretty sure it wouldn’t.
Either way, I was certain that if I didn’t do it, I would regret it. I walked further and further back to find the end of the queue. Considering the size of it, I hoped I wouldn’t be asked for a ticket at the other end.
After about half an hour, I was back where I’d been standing earlier. I took my shoes and socks off and rolled up my trouser legs, as instructed. The ground was cold, rocky and dusty as I walked onto a pile of salt that marked the start of the fire-walk. The yamabushi tapped me fairly hard on the shoulder and I began to walk.
Did it hurt? Nah, it was about the same temperature as a pavement (sidewalk) in early summer. The smoke, however, stung my eyes a little. Nothing serious.
One the other side, I was once again standing in a pile of salt. Another yamabushi tapped me on the shoulder and I walked forward to the head monk and knelt. He gave me his blessing and I left the area.
This festival is fantastic and you should definitely go if you can. Below are some more photos plus directions and recommendations. If you want to see some decent photos though, check out Mazikeen’s account of fire-walking in snowy Tokushima prefecture.
How To Get There
The station you want is Takaosanguchi on the Keio Takao Line, which leaves from Shinjuku. There are a large number of tourists going to this festival, but others are going up the mountain instead (instead of a fire-walking festival with yamabushi, guys? REALLY?), so careful you don’t follow them. Turn right once you get out of Takaosanguchi Station, but don’t go up. Cross the river and keep in the same direction. You’ll now be walking with festival-goers and not hikers, so there should be no trouble finding your way from there.
What To Do
* Arrive fairly early to get a view that doesn’t have a pole, rope hung with shide, or large monks obstructing it. For a good view, but not up close, sitting on the grassy bank seems to work for some people.
* Do it. It doesn’t hurt at all.
* …But don’t be a douche and jump the queue.
* You don’t have to register or pay.
* It’s okay to carry your shoes across.
* Like tea ceremony, just watch the people in front of you and do what they do.
* Buy something at one the of souvenir stalls. It’s like a donation, but you get something nice for your trouble.
I had never heard of this matsuri but it really looks awesome. All this burning things, fire-walking and shoulder taping by sweaty men seems interesting. :D
Hopefully, I’ll get a chance to experience it one day.
The sweaty men have great outfits too. I recently attended another matsuri in rural Aichi (which is a blog post for another day) which I also recommend — I saw karakuri and bunraku performances. The stuff of nightmares, but in a good way.