Entrusting their wishes to a single character, Oshima Hyakuhatto lights up the night at Mount Shiroyama
Oshima Hyakuhatto
The 2026 edition of Oshima Hyakuhatto has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/08/16Ended
- Season / frequency
- August 16 during the old Bon period / Every year
- Location
- The northern mountainside of Mount Shiroyama, in the southern part of the Oshima district
- Area
- Gunma Prefecture・Tomioka City(From Tokyo: approx. 50 min–1 h · 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.
- Features
- Highlights and activities
- Wishes behind the festival
- Required number of participants
- 1 person from each household
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
A traditional event in the Oshima district of Tomioka City, where a fire character expressing the community’s wishes is displayed on Mount Shiroyama. On the night of the old Bon period, a single character appearing on the mountainside quietly conveys the community’s history.
About Oshima Hyakuhatto
Oshima Hyakuhatto is a fire-character event held in the Oshima district of Tomioka City on August 16 during the old Bon period.
Lighting equipment is arranged on the northern mountainside of Mount Shiroyama in the southern part of the district, and fire is used to display a character associated with that year.
An intangible folk cultural property rooted in the community, with 1 person from each household taking part.
Source: 大島百八灯 文化遺産オンライン
Festival highlights
The highlight is the fire character that appears on the dark mountainside, displaying a character chosen for that year.
Local people discuss and decide on the character each year on the day of the festival.
As you picture the single character expressing the community’s wishes, you can watch the moment it is lit and its shape shining against the night sky.
Source: 大島の火まつり／8月16日 | しるくるとみおか 富岡製糸場 富岡市観光 公式ホームページ
Entrusting their wishes to a single character, Oshima Hyakuhatto lights up the night at Mount Shiroyama
What to expect
For the event, 1 person from each household in the district carries lighting equipment up the mountain.
On the mountainside, they discuss and decide on a character associated with that year, then arrange the equipment and light it.
When it is lit, the character chosen by local people appears on the north face of Mount Shiroyama.
How to take part
1 person from each household in the Oshima district takes part in creating the event’s fire character.
No information is provided on whether general visitors can take part in making the fire character.
If you visit to see the fire character, the basic approach is to watch quietly and respectfully as a community event.
1 person chosen from each household in the Oshima district takes part in creating the fire character.
They climb the mountain with lighting equipment and join the discussion to decide on the character.
No information is provided about participation procedures or how people from outside the district can apply.
Location and access
- Venue and address
The northern mountainside of Mount Shiroyama, in the southern part of the Oshima district.
The addresses are 167-1 and 168-1 Oshima, Tomioka City.
Address 167-1 and 168-1 Oshima, Tomioka City, Gunma Prefecture
Dates and season
2026 event information (the listed dates have passed)
In 2026, event information was provided for August 16, with the lighting time listed as 7:30 p.m.
The event takes place on the night of August 16, which falls during the old Bon period.
The 2026 event dates have passed.
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 Gunma Prefecture / Tomioka City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The venue is on the northern mountainside of Mount Shiroyama, and participants climb the mountain to create the fire character.
When viewing the event, bear in mind that it takes place at night on a mountainside; wear comfortable clothing and watch your footing.
Follow the instructions given on the day about viewing areas and restricted access.
Nearby attractions
一之宮貫前神社
群馬県富岡市にある神社
妙義神社
群馬県富岡市にある神社
写真：photo: Qurren ( talk ) Taken with Canon IXY 10S (Digital IXUS 210) / CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo source ·
群馬サファリパーク
群馬県富岡市にある動物園
写真：diloz さん https://www.flickr.com/photos/diloz/ / CC BY 2.0
Photo source ·
群馬県立自然史博物館
群馬県富岡市にある博物館
写真：photo: Qurren ( talk ) Taken with Canon IXY 10S (Digital IXUS 210) / CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo source ·Origins and History of Oshima Hyakuhatto
The Oshima Fire Festival is said to have begun during the Wadō era of the Nara period.
It is said to have started after the fall of the castle of Yōdayū Munekatsu, the lord of the Oshima district, when residents displayed the characters of Hyakutō, enshrined the lord’s spirit, and offered their wishes.
Records of the fire character date back to the Meiji period.
Official information
The official Tomioka Tourism Association website features information about the origins of the Oshima Fire Festival, the fire character, and the lighting time.
For the latest information about cancellations and other updates, check the association’s Facebook and Instagram accounts.
Oshima Hyakuhatto at a Glance
Oshima Hyakuhatto is a traditional local fire festival in which a fire character is displayed on Mount Shiroyama in the Oshima district of Tomioka City.
Participants from each household in the district climb to the mountainside and decide on a character associated with that year.
A defining feature of this event is the sight of a character expressing wishes for ancestors and the community appearing on the mountain at night.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/19
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