Chushoji Temple Fire-Walking Ceremony

A fire-walking goma ritual is held on the hillside behind Chushoji Temple in Narahara, Ueno Village, where ascetics and worshippers cross heated firewood barefoot. It is a ritual of prayer shaped by the large fire bed and the prayers chanted.

About Chushoji Temple Fire-Walking Ceremony

The Chushoji Temple Fire-Walking Ceremony is a fire-walking goma ritual held on the hillside behind Chushoji Temple in Narahara, Ueno Village, Gunma Prefecture.

Before a fire bed heated with a large pile of firewood, ascetics and worshippers chant prayers as they cross it barefoot.

This traditional event in Ueno Village offers a close experience of fire and prayer.

Source: 中正寺火渡り護摩【アソビュー！】

Festival highlights

A highlight is the large fire bed, measuring 9 meters wide, 10 meters deep, and 2 meters high.

The piled firewood is heated, and after prayers are chanted, ascetics and worshippers cross it barefoot.

See up close the distinctive sight of fire-walking, where the heat of the flames mingles with the prayers of the goma ritual.

Ueno Village’s Fire-Walking Ceremony: Crossing the Flames, Carrying on the Prayers

What to expect

First, firewood is piled to a scale of 9 meters wide, 10 meters deep, and 2 meters high and heated.

Afterward, ascetics and worshippers cross the fire bed barefoot while chanting prayers.

Visitors watch the process, from preparing the fire to the fire-walking itself.

How to take part

The fire-walking is performed by ascetics and worshippers.

If you wish to take part, check the on-the-day registration and participation requirements in advance.

Location and access

Venue and address: Hillside behind Chushoji Temple (Narahara, Ueno Village, Tano District, Gunma Prefecture)
Train and bus: About 110 minutes by bus from JR Shinmachi Station, then about a 5-minute walk from Narahara bus stop.
By car: It is about 35 minutes from Shimonita IC on the Joshin-etsu Expressway.

Address Narahara, Ueno Village, Tano District, Gunma Prefecture

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Dates and season

Season: Every year on May 3
Frequency: Every year

Accommodation and hotels PR

Prices and availability are current at the time of retrieval. For multi-night stays, only the first night’s price is shown. Confirm the final price and directions to the venue with the booking provider. Select your dates again when using the area search link. Search area: within 3 km of Central Gunma Prefecture / Ueno Village (the search is not centered on the festival venue)

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Tips for your visit

The fire bed is built to a scale of 9 meters wide, 10 meters deep, and 2 meters high.

Ascetics and worshippers cross it barefoot, so please follow venue guidance and safety instructions while watching the fire-walking ceremony.

Check in advance whether general visitors are allowed to take part in the fire-walking ceremony.

Nearby attractions

Nearby, you can visit Ueno Sky Bridge and Fujido Cave.

Ueno Sky Bridge is a pedestrian-only suspension bridge connecting Kawawa Nature Park and Mahoba Forest, while Fujido Cave is a limestone cave with passages extending about 2.2 kilometers underground.

Enjoy sightseeing in the area alongside the mountain-village scenery of Ueno Village.

Source: 上野スカイブリッジ | スポット一覧 | 心にググっと観光ぐんま