The prayers of Hozu, carried on in a procession of lanterns and around a great fire
Hozu Fire Festival
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Scheduled for mid-October
- Location
- Uketa , Hozu Hachimangu
- Area
- Kyoto Prefecture・Kameoka City(From Tokyo: approx. 2 h 10 min–2 h 40 min · bullet train)Prefecture-level estimate to a main station or airport, not the venue. Airport access, check-in and onward travel are extra; remote areas and islands can take much longer.
- Highlights and activities
- Wishes behind the festival
- Last updated
- 2026/10/21
The Hozu Fire Festival, held in Hozu-cho, Kameoka City, is an autumn festival in which a procession of tall lanterns circles a fire and heads to Hachimangu accompanied by drums and chants.
About Hozu Fire Festival
The Hozu Fire Festival is a fire festival held at Uketa Jinja and Hozu Hachimangu in Hozu-cho, Kameoka City.
A procession of tall chochin lanterns circles the fire 3 times, then deposits the items carried in the procession in the shrine sanctuary.
It is said that warming yourself by the fire guarantees good health for the year.
It is recognized as an autumn event in Kameoka City, held in mid-October.
Source: 保津の火まつり | イベント一覧 | 京都府観光連盟公式サイト / 亀岡の歳時記～秋～ - 亀岡市公式ホームページ
Festival highlights
The highlight is the led by tall chochin lanterns.
At the , the tall chochin lanterns from each district welcome the procession. Flower hats, taiko drums, shaguma headpieces, kenhoko halberds, and people carrying branches line up in a single row.
Chanting “Toukuwa igenno” and “Mandairaku,” the procession heads to Hachimangu. In front of the , taiko drums and shaguma headpieces circle a large fire.
Source: データベース | 亀岡市文化資料館
The prayers of Hozu, carried on in a procession of lanterns and around a great fire
What to expect
In the evening, the festival procession goes from Hachimangu to Uketa Jinja to welcome the deity.
Afterward, at the otabisho, the tall chochin lanterns from each district welcome the shinko procession, which returns to Hachiman-gu with flower hats, taiko drums, and other items in the procession.
At Hachimangu, taiko drums and shaguma headpieces circle the large fire in front of the honden.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Uketa Jinja, Hozu Hachimangu / Hozu-cho, Kameoka City, Kyoto 621-0005
- Train and bus
From Kameoka Station on the JR Sagano Line, take the Kameoka City Furusato Bus and get off at Hozu.
Address Hozu-cho, Kameoka City, Kyoto 621-0005
Dates and season
- Season
Scheduled for mid-October
Accommodation and hotels PR
Showing nearby accommodation.
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 Kyoto Prefecture / Kameoka City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
Near the venue are the Hozu River Waterfront Park barbecue area (auto campground), the Kameoka City Museum of Cultural Materials, and the former site of Tanba-Kameyama Castle.
The Hozu River Waterfront Park is listed as 1.3 km in a straight line from the venue, the Kameoka City Museum of Cultural Materials as 2.0 km, and the former site of Tanba-Kameyama Castle as 2.4 km.
If you plan to visit these facilities along with the festival, check their opening days and conditions of use.
亀岡市文化資料館
京都府亀岡市の博物館・美術館のスポットです。
出雲大神宮
京都府亀岡市にある神社
Origins and History of Hozu Fire Festival
Sources do not specify when the festival began, but the procession’s chants seem connected to local stories about the development of the area.
“Toukuwa igenno” is also said to refer to the names of tools such as the karakuwa hoe and genno hammer, used to break up soil or rocks.
According to legend, the gods worked together to cut through the mountains and turn the Kameoka Basin, once a lake, into flat land.
Official information
The official Kyoto Prefecture Tourism Federation website provides information about when and where the Hozu Fire Festival is held, as well as access details.
The official Kameoka City website lists the procession of tall chochin lanterns as an autumn event.
Hozu Fire Festival at a Glance
The Hozu Fire Festival takes place at Uketa Jinja and Hozu Hachimangu, featuring a procession of tall chochin lanterns and a large fire.
Flower hats, taiko drums, shaguma headpieces, and kenhoko halberds form the procession, which heads to Hachimangu accompanied by chants.
It is said that warming yourself by the fire guarantees good health for the year, and the event is also connected to stories about the development of the Kameoka Basin.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/21
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