Huge bonfires are lit at 8 pm every August 16, on five mountains in Kyoto. They have the form of characters—"dai" ("large"), "myo," and "ho" forming "myo-ho" ("wondrous teaching of Buddha"), Funugata (boat shape), and Toriigata (torii shape). These huge characters are to guide the ancestors back to the other world. The rite is a demonstration of respect for ancestors and is best visible from the west bank of the Kamo River.
Daimonji or Gozan no Okuribi Meaning
It is believed that on August 16, the dead, who returned to visit their relatives on Obon, go to the spiritual world again. And to guide the souls, people light a ritual bonfire in Kyoto.
Traditions
There are many omens associated with this ancient ritual. For example, people drink water or sake, on the surface of which a fire is reflected, to protect themselves from various diseases, including paralysis. Participants in the procession also write prayers on cedar strips, which are thrown into the fire, so that the prayers, together with the smoke, reach the heavens and are heard.
