In 13 daysCrowd impact: Very busy
Kurama Fire Festival
- When
- Where
- Kyoto (Kurama)
The Kurama Fire Festival of Yuki Shrine takes place on the same night as the Jidai Matsuri, from around 18:00 until just past midnight. Young men carry huge pine torches through the narrow streets of the mountain village of Kurama, filling it with flames and chanting. It is held normally in 2026, but space is extremely limited and access is by Eizan Railway only.
Calmer ways to enjoy it
- Arrive in Kurama in the mid-afternoon, well before 18:00, so you can find a place along the village street before the queues at the station build up
- The first hour, when small torches and then the big ones start appearing along the village street, is easier to watch than the late-night climax near the shrine
- If crowds worry you, see Kurama-dera and the village in daylight on another day and catch the torches only briefly on festival night
Crowd impact
Expect around 2.0× the usual crowds near the main venue while the festival runs. This is an estimate, not a live count.
Practical tips
- Cars are banned between Kibune-guchi and Kurama Onsen from 15:00 and all parking is closed — the Eizan Railway is the only way in, with very long queues, so check the last train before you go
- Police may stop entry when the village is full, and no one may go above the Sanmon gate once the ritual begins
- The mountain night is cold and sparks fly — wear warm clothes you don’t mind getting ash on, and keep a safe distance from the torches
Dates & source
Dates checked against the organizer's official website.
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