Kurama: Matsuri fire festival
Kurama is a rural town in the northern mountains of Kyoto City, less than one hour from the city center by train. Kurama is best known for its temple Kurama-dera and its hot spring, one of the most easily accessible hot springs from Kyoto.
It's realy a lovely and peacefull place to visit and sleep, next time I dod that!!!
Outdoor and indoor baths can be enjoyed at Kurama Onsen, a ryokan located at the upper end of the town . It can be reached in a 10 minute walk from the train station along the town's only road or along a nature trail following the river.
On October 22, the Kurama-no-hi Matsuri (Fire Festival=Matsuri in Japan) takes over and dozens of small shrines are whisked through the streets by young men bearing torches. It's really crazy to imagine that in this village where lot of houses are build with wood, and streets are very narrows.
In western country it will be impossible for safety to do a festival like this! You need to be patient and diciplinate, walking slowly when you arrive if you don't want go to the train station and exit city due to police who organise a loop around the center city (half hour for somme people -))) .
A good plan is to arrive early before 6pm by train,visit the village and preparations and after to join the top off village to see procession and small shrines ,later around 1 am you come back in the center little more quiet and take your train when queue up is better .
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