A traditional festival of sacred fire and white-clad participants racing down Mount Kamikura
Oto Matsuri
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Every year on February 6 / Every year
- Location
- Kamikura Shrine
- Area
- Wakayama Prefecture・Shingu City(From Tokyo: approx. 3 h 30 min–4 h · bullet train + connecting 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.
- Features
- Wishes behind the festival
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
The Oto Matsuri, in which the sacred fire is passed on via torches, is held at Kamikura Shrine in Shingu City. Clad in white, the noboriko gather on the mountain, and the sight of fire streaming down the stone steps reflects age-old prayers and local faith.
Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: panpanzupan File:518wakayama-Kumano Oto Festival-xl.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 4.0 https://find47.jp/en/i/EchSlDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: panpanzupan File:520wakayama-Kumano Oto Festival-xl.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 4.0 https://app.find47.jp/ja/u/mNaFF?_ga=2.201018089.69036321.1530497003-22078316.1530497003Display size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: panpanzupan File:519wakayama-Kumano Oto Festival-xl.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 4.0 https://app.find47.jp/ja/u/mNaFF?_ga=2.201018089.69036321.1530497003-22078316.1530497003Display size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.About Oto Matsuri
Oto Matsuri is an annual festival held at Kamikura Shrine in Shingu City, Wakayama Prefecture.
Clad in white and carrying torches, the “noboriko” gather at Mount Kamikura, receive the sacred fire, and race down the mountain.
It is traditionally said to be a festival that welcomes the New Year’s fire and brings it home to households.
It has also been designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan.
Source: 御燈祭 - Wikipedia / 新宮の速玉祭・御燈祭り | わかやまの文化財
Festival highlights
A highlight is the moment when the sacred fire is shared from the large welcoming-fire torch to the noboriko’s torches, filling the mountaintop with flames and smoke.
When the shrine gate opens, the white-clad noboriko race down all 538 stone steps at once.
The sight of fire streaming down through the darkness is called the “Descending Dragon” and is an iconic scene of the festival.
A traditional festival of sacred fire and white-clad participants racing down Mount Kamikura
What to expect
The noboriko dress in white garments, including white under-kimono and white tabi socks, and carry torches as they make a pilgrimage to Kumano Hayatama Taisha, Asuka Shrine, and Myoshinji Temple before heading to Kamikura Shrine.
On the mountain, they light their individual torches from the large welcoming-fire torch, and the gate remains closed until everyone has gathered.
When the gate opens, they descend the stone steps carrying their torches. A ritual offering ceremony is also held after the festival.
How to take part
Only men may take part in the festival’s mountain rites as noboriko.
Participants prepare white ceremonial clothing and torches, and take part in the festival in accordance with customs such as abstinence and purification.
It is explained that women do not enter the mountain and instead cook rice at home after the fire has been brought back.
Those taking part as noboriko must prepare their ceremonial clothing and torch, and purify themselves according to the festival’s customs.
The period of abstinence and purification begins one week beforehand; during this time, participants are said to eat only white foods such as white rice, tofu, and kamaboko.
First-time participants are advised that they will need local help with dressing and preparations.
Source: お燈祭り | JA共済 ちいきのために 47都道府県の祭り · Traditional performing arts
Source: 熊野古道・参詣道の歩き方（和歌山県新宮市）：新宮市観光協会
Location and access
- Venue and address
Kamikura Shrine (1-13-8 Kamikura, Shingu City, Wakayama Prefecture).
- Train and bus
It is a 15-minute walk from JR Shingu Station.
Source: Oto Matsuri Fire Festival | Travel Japan - Japan National Tourism Organization (Official Site)
Address 1-13-8 Kamikura, Shingu City, Wakayama Prefecture
Dates and season
The Oto Festival is held on February 6 each year.
At night, participants receive the sacred fire on Mount Kamikura, then descend the stone steps carrying torches.
The following day, a large goma ritual, a fire-walking ceremony, mochi throwing, and other events are held as part of the thanksgiving visit, according to the source.
Source: 和歌山県無形民俗文化財カレンダー | 和歌山県教育委員会
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 Wakayama Prefecture / Shingu City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The stone staircase leading to Kamikura Shrine has 538 steps and is described as steep.
On the day of the festival, there are rules concerning access to and participation in events on the mountain, so visitors must follow local guidance and safety instructions.
The festival involves flames and smoke filling the air as torch-bearing noboriko race down the stone steps. It is important not to approach recklessly, but to observe this solemn religious rite from a respectful distance.
Nearby attractions
Pilgrimages to Kumano Hayatama Taisha and Asuka Shrine in Shingu City are among the attractions mentioned around Kamikura Shrine.
Kumano Hayatama Taisha is one of the Three Grand Shrines of Kumano, and Asuka Shrine is also included among the places visited on the festival pilgrimage.
The Shingu area also has walking routes along the Kumano Kodo, including a route with views of Oji-ga-hama from Takano-zaka.
佐藤春夫記念館
和歌山県新宮市の文学館
徐福公園
和歌山県新宮市にある公園
熊野速玉大社
和歌山県新宮市新宮1にある神社
熊野速玉神社のナギ
和歌山県新宮市の熊野速玉大社にある巨樹
Kamikura Shrine
和歌山県新宮市の神社
西村伊作記念館
日本の和歌山県新宮市にある建築物
阿須賀神社
和歌山県新宮市にある神社
Origins and History of Oto Matsuri
There are several traditions about the origins of Oto Matsuri.
Old records document the beginnings of the Kamikura fire festival, which local tradition links to the legend of Takakuraji raising a torch to welcome Jimmu.
The festival is said to mark the renewal of fire at the beginning of the lunar New Year, and it is thought that its present-day form took shape during the Edo period.
Official information
The Wakayama Prefectural Board of Education lists Oto Matsuri as an intangible folk cultural property event in the prefecture, along with its venue and location.
Cultural property information describes Oto Matsuri as a nationally designated intangible folk cultural property located in Shingu and Kamikura, Shingu City.
Oto Matsuri at a Glance
Oto Matsuri is a fire festival that has been passed down at Kamikura Shrine in Shingu City.
One of the main highlights is the sight of white-clad noboriko receiving the sacred fire on their torches and racing down the 538 stone steps.
This festival conveys the region’s faith and history to the present day, with traditions linked to welcoming the New Year’s fire and to Mount Kamikura.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/19
Submit information or a correction Submit photos of this festival
