A Koshōgatsu fire festival passed down on Oshima, entrusting New Year wishes to the flames
Tōdo Okuri
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Around Koshōgatsu in January, early morning / Annual event
- Location
- Oshima
- Area
- Ehime Prefecture・Niihama City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 25 min–1 h 45 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.
- Features
- Wishes behind the festival
- Age restrictions
- In the past, the event was led by a children’s group of boys aged 13–16
- Last updated
- 2026/11/14
A traditional event on Oshima, Niihama City, where tōdo containing New Year decorations and talismans are burned as people pray for a peaceful year ahead and good health. The flames rising in the early morning and the prayers for protection from fire entrusted to the unburned bamboo and ash reflect Oshima’s New Year culture.
About Tōdo Okuri
Tōdo Okuri is a Koshōgatsu fire festival held on Oshima, off the coast of Niihama City.
New Year decorations, talismans, and other items are burned together with a bamboo-framed tower, sending the New Year deity back to heaven with the smoke as people pray for a peaceful year ahead.
On Oshima, each district has a custom of putting up a tōdo. The event is described as a traditional one that has continued for about 300 years.
Festival highlights
A highlight is the sight of a roughly 15-meter-high tower, filled with New Year decorations and talismans, being set alight and bursting into flames.
According to historical records, tōdo made by five districts and children taking part in an exchange program were set alight one after another from before dawn, for a total of six.
The custom of taking home unburned bamboo and ash also reflects hopes for protection from fire and good health.
A Koshōgatsu fire festival passed down on Oshima, entrusting New Year wishes to the flames
What to expect
For the event, each district builds a tōdo using New Year decorations, bamboo, , paper banners, and other materials, then sets it alight in the early morning.
Historical records say the children’s group gathered materials, adults built the tōdo, and after it was lit, the remains were pulled down at daybreak.
People tossed smoldering bamboo onto rooftops for protection from fire, and placed ash on kagami mochi or made zenzai with the mochi to pray for protection from illness throughout the year.
How to take part
対象年齢：かつては13歳～16歳の少年による子ども組が中心
Location and access
- Venue and address
Oshima, Niihama City
Address Oshima, Niihama City, Ehime Prefecture
Dates and season
- Season
Around Koshōgatsu in January, early morning
- Frequency
Annual event
Accommodation and hotels PR
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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 Ehime Prefecture / Niihama City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
There are records of the event taking place in the early morning, and it involves handling fire on the island in winter.
When watching, keep away from the burning tōdo and its remains, and follow local instructions.
Nearby attractions
あかがねミュージアム
愛媛県新居浜市にある文化施設
ゆらぎの森
愛媛県新居浜市別子山にある森林公園
マイントピア別子
愛媛県新居浜市にあるテーマパーク・道の駅
住友化学愛媛工場歴史資料館
愛媛県新居浜市にある資料館
別子山ふるさと館
愛媛県新居浜市にある施設
別子銅山記念館
愛媛県新居浜市にある博物館
広瀬歴史記念館
愛媛県新居浜市にある広瀬宰平の記念館
愛媛県総合科学博物館
愛媛県新居浜市にある博物館
日暮別邸記念館
愛媛県新居浜市にある記念館
池田池公園
愛媛県新居浜市にある公園
滝の宮公園
愛媛県新居浜市にある公園
Origins and History of Tōdo Okuri
Oshima’s Tōdo Okuri is said to have begun in the Heian period and to have flourished during the Edo period as well.
In the past, the event was held in each district on the 15th day of the New Year. A children’s group of boys aged 13 to 16 took the lead, gathering materials and helping build the tōdo.
As the number of children on the island declined over time, children from outside the island, girls, and adults also began taking part, and the event evolved into an effort to preserve traditional culture.
Tōdo Okuri at a Glance
Tōdo Okuri is a Koshōgatsu fire festival that continues on Oshima, Niihama City.
In the early morning, tōdo structures incorporating New Year decorations and talismans are burned, sending the New Year deity heavenward with the smoke as people pray for a peaceful year ahead.
The custom of taking home unburned bamboo and ash carries prayers for protection from fire, household safety, and good health.
Sources and references
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/11/14
