Saitama Fire Festival in Gyoda

The Saitama Fire Festival is held in early May each year in Gyoda.



This ancient ritual is connected with fertility, the planting of the new season's rice and of course the Gods.







It is held in a large park where ancient and enormous key-hole shaped burial mounds are located.


Literally thousands and thousands of people assemble for fun and games.

One of the greast thinsg about Japan is there is always an event or festival on somewhere that's reasonably easy to get to.

 Prior to the main event everyone picnics on the grass and listens to the live concerts as well as patronising the many typical fair and event food stalls.

Amongst the tens of thousands of people there I was the only Westerner I saw.

As night falls a great parade of 300 people carrying burning torches starts to circle around. There are a man and a woman borne along in palanquins who represent the gods.

At the climax of the event the gods set fire to a large traditional Japanese building which roars up into flames.

It's all quite something.