The best time to attend Gozan Okuribi in 2027 is August 16, 2027.
Timing status: Expected dates.
Dates last checked: October 8, 2026.
Kyoto's five mountain fires · August 16, 2027
Five fires on Kyoto's hills close Obon.
On the last night of Obon, Kyoto lights five giant bonfire figures on the mountains around the city to send ancestral spirits home. The great 大 of Daimonji burns first at 8 pm, then the characters 妙 and 法, a boat, a second 大 and a torii gate, five minutes apart, each for about half an hour.
first fire, Daimonji: 8:00 pm
Where it is visible: Kyoto, Japan
Trails to the fire sites close on the day. Riverbanks along the Kamo fill well before 8 pm, and the city asks for neon and advertising lights to be switched off for the hour of the fires. Bad weather can shift the lighting times.
Gozan Okuribi 2027: August 16, 2027.
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