The Kiribi Festival at Kumano Taisha, where ancient fire-making tools are passed down
Kiribi Festival
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Every October / Every year
- Location
- Kumano Taisha
- Area
- Shimane Prefecture・Matsue(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 20 min–1 h 40 min · flight time only)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
- Last updated
- 2026/11/11
A festival that offers a glimpse of the ancient fire-making tools and fire worship passed down at Kumano Taisha in Matsue.
About Kiribi Festival
The Kiribi Festival is a fire festival held at Kumano Taisha in Matsue, Shimane Prefecture.
Kumano Taisha is known as a shrine associated with the origins of fire in Japan, and preserves ancient fire-making tools called the hiuchi-kine and hiuchi-usu.
These tools are used in the festival, which is held every October as a ritual at Kumano Taisha.
Festival highlights
The highlights are the ancient fire-making tools called the hiuchi-kine and hiuchi-usu, kept at Kumano Taisha.
At the Kiribi Festival, a drill-like tool turned by hand and a board that catches the fire are used in the ritual.
They reflect the beliefs surrounding fire at Kumano Taisha and the festival’s distinctive tradition of being passed down through these tools.
The Kiribi Festival at Kumano Taisha, where ancient fire-making tools are passed down
What to expect
During the festival, a ritual is held in which fire is made using the hiuchi-kine and hiuchi-usu passed down at Kumano Taisha.
The fire-making tools are a hiuchi-kine, which is turned by hand, and a hiuchi-usu, which catches the fire.
Kumano Taisha’s sacred fire is also said to be taken to festivals at Izumo Taisha and used in important rituals there.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Kumano Taisha, Matsue, Shimane Prefecture
- By car
About 30 minutes by car from central Matsue
Address Matsue, Shimane Prefecture
Dates and season
- Season
Every October
- Frequency
Every year
Accommodation and hotels PR
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Tips for your visit
Kumano Taisha is located in a mountainous area. In front of the stone steps leading up to the , there is a place with water for purification.
When visiting, looking not only at the ritual that uses fire-making tools but also at the layout of the shrine buildings and the dance hall on the grounds can offer clues to the breadth of belief at Kumano Taisha.
Nearby attractions
いずもまがたまの里 伝承館
島根県の博物館・美術館のスポットです。
写真：江戸村のとくぞう (Edomura no Tokuzo) / CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo source ·
メテオプラザ
島根県の博物館・美術館のスポットです。
中村元記念館
島根県の博物館・美術館のスポットです。
Sada Shrine
島根県松江市にある神社
Yaegaki Shrine
松江市にある神社
小泉八雲旧居
島根県松江市にある文学館
小泉八雲記念館
島根県松江市にある文学館
島根大学旧奥谷宿舎
島根県松江市にある洋館
島根県立八雲立つ風土記の丘
島根県の風土記の丘。
島根県立美術館
島根県松江市にある美術館
松江フォーゲルパーク
島根県松江市にあるテーマーパーク
松江歴史館
島根県松江市にある博物館
Origins and History of Kiribi Festival
Kumano Taisha is an ancient shrine recorded in the 659 Nihon Shoki.
The 733 Izumo no Kuni Fudoki says it was located on Mount Kumano, corresponding to present-day Mount Tengu, and was later moved to the foot of the mountain.
Its status changed under the shrine rank system in 1871, and it regained the title of taisha in 1978. That same year, the buildings on the shrine grounds were also renovated in connection with the shrine’s relocation.
Kiribi Festival at a Glance
The Kiribi Festival is a fire festival held every October at Kumano Taisha in Matsue.
The hiuchi-kine and hiuchi-usu passed down at a shrine associated with the origins of fire in Japan are used in the ritual, offering a tangible sense of the fire worship at Kumano Taisha.
The long history of Kumano Taisha, dating back to ancient times, and its connection with delivering sacred fire to Izumo Taisha are also important elements in understanding this festival.
Sources and references
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/11/11
