Video Of The Week - Japan's Fire-Walking Festival
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On Sunday, March 8th, thousands of people made their way to Tokyo's Mt. Takao to observe a unique tradition - watching practitioners of the Shugendo religion walk across a path of smoldering embers.
Known as the Hiwatari-Matsuri festival, the annual ritual takes place at the Takao-san Yakuo-in Yuki-ji Temple every second Sunday of March. It is performed by Shugendo's followers also called "Yamabushi" to obtain protection from misfortune and for good health and peace in the world. Visitors wishing to participate can do so at the end, when the embers have cooled to more tolerable temperatures.
Resources: telegraph.co,uk, nipponnews.com
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436 Comments
sjroberts1over 7 yearsscary- Lelalmost 8 yearsCool
swirlycoolover 8 yearsI have 5 Japanese friends that celebrate this.
kawaii_gymnastover 8 yearsI speak japanese, go to Japan every year in summer break, and went to that festival before. It's not that bad. 😃
knokoutpear51over 8 yearsThey do it beacuse their celaberiting something I think???? 😐
eriel529over 8 yearsIt is called the Japan fire walker festival.- dalmost 9 yearscool
- df tvtrutytctyalmost 9 yearsawesome
hamstyalmost 9 yearssuper cooi people
kenyab7almost 9 yearsTo obtain protection from misfortune and for the good health and peace in the world. Visitors are not allowed to join till the end because if visitors want to try to fire-walk it will be to hot so that is why visitors have to wait till the end so it will be warm.
