Known as the ‘fire festival with no escape’, this 1,300-year-old tradition at Joko Enmanji Temple to the north of Osaka city is a dramatic purification ritual to welcome the year ahead. The festival’s nickname comes from the temple’s narrow precincts, which are hemmed in by city buildings. Once the sacred bonfire is lit, thick white smoke engulfs the grounds and there’s nowhere to run. But that’s exactly the point: being covered in the smoke is said to bring good luck and health while warding off evil spirits.
Rituals like this are held at temples across Japan, but it’s only at Joko Enmanji that you get to experience it so closely. The grounds of the temple are small, so the viewing is intimate – and not only does the fire bring good fortune, it also goes a long way to warming everyone up on what is usually a cold February morning.
The main event begins at 11.40am with the Saito Daigoma ceremony, during which priests ignite an enormous sacred fire fuelled by goma sticks inscribed with visitors’ wishes. The fire burns away misfortunes as smoke turns the surrounding area white and completely engulfs the closest participants and visitors.
Before this highlight, the festivities kick off at 10.45am with a series of rituals centred around clearing away the bad and attracting the good. There’s bean-throwing, lantern lighting and a ceremony in the main hall in which sutras are placed on worshippers’ heads to remove impurities accumulated over the past year.
If you drew an unlucky omikuji fortune at a shrine over the New Year, the Suita Fire Festival is the perfect opportunity to get rid of that bad luck – whether it’s through fire, beans or lanterns.
Time Out tip: Wear clothes you don’t mind getting smoky and covered in ash – but also dress up warmly, as it can be cold before the fire is lit.