Nozawa Fire Festival

The time around New Year’s is all about purifying yourself for a fresh start. As one of the great fire festivals in Japan, the Nozawa Fire Festival is no exception. The Nozawa Fire Festival occurs on January 15 and features a fiery battle as its centerpiece event. Like many Japanese festivals in January, fire is an essential component. Many people believe that fire is purifying and can prepare you for a new beginning. The event lasts one evening and features fire rituals and a procession with musicians and performers taking to the streets.

Nozawa Fire Festival

Photo by: PIXTA/ kouyunosa Many people believe that fire is purifying and can prepare you for a new beginning

First held in 1863, the Nozawa Fire Festival is dedicated to dosojin, deities commonly associated with travel safety as well as health, fertility and marriage. They are often depicted as stone statues in the image of a human couple. The festival is held in honor of families having their first child and to hope for a good harvest and health in the coming year.

Many families in the Nozawa area have wooden dosojin figurines in their homes. To promote the health of the community, people bring them to the festival to be ceremoniously burned or anonymously exchanged with another family. Only 4,800 attendees are allowed to enter. However, only Nozawa residents and visitors staying in the area are eligible to get tickets.

Festival Highlights

Photo by: PIXTA/ kouyunosa Building the portable shrine

The main event is an explosive battle between two groups of people. Two days before the festival, sacred beech trees are carved into a portable shrine that temporarily houses the spirit of a dosojin. This shrine measures about 10 meters high and eight meters wide.

On the night of the festival, 25 and 42-year-old men defend the shrine from other locals trying to light it on fire with torches. The torches are offerings to the dosojin. In Japan, men from 25 and 42 are considered unlucky. Courageously embracing their unlucky fates, these men fight a losing battle. Ultimately, the shrine will be lit on fire, and the battle will come to an end. But, while the battle can be fierce and energetic, it is all in a celebratory spirit. While the battle certainly draws the most attention, the aftermath is worth sticking around for. As the portable shrine burns completely down to ash, festivalgoers eat and drink into the night. According to local legend, surrounding yourself with the warmth of the ceremonial fire will keep you in good health for the remainder of the year.