Nozawa Onsen Fire Festival

One of Japans most amazing festivals is the Nozawa Onsen Fire Festival which is held each year on the 15th January in the snow fields of Nozawa Onsen.

Nozawa Onsen is a picturesque hot spring town in Nagano Japan. It is famous for its multiple public onsens, the amazing ski fields and it is home to the Nozawa Onsen Dosojin Matsuri Fire Festival.

Local villagers start cutting trees to build the wooden shaden (shrine) structure in October each year, three months before the festival. The trees are considered sacred and there are rituals in cutting down the trees and bringing them into the village. The festival is held each year to pray for abundant harvest, good fortune and health in the coming year.

The festival starts about 7pm with locals running through the village streets carrying the fire for the festival. To catch the action, wander through the local streets to soak up the atmosphere. While you are there, have a Nagano apple or pork bun from the street stall! The narrow street to the shaden is lined with stalls and sake, however no alcohol is permitted at the festival site.

These two lantern poles have been made by village families for the their firstborn sons. The poles are made as a prayer for health and good fortune for their sons.

The shaden itself is a large wooden structure that the villages try to set alight while the 42 and 25 year olds, (the unlucky years) defend the shrine. The 42 year old male villagers sit on top of the shaden, singing and chanting and 25 year old male villagers stand at the base to defend it.

The festival is essentially a fire battle, as the villagers attack with fire, trying to set the shaden alight. The villagers don’t hold back, it’s a full on fire fight!

After about 3 hours, the 42 year olds climb down from the shaden as it goes up in flames.

The Nozawa Onsen fire festival is an unbelievable fire fight and an amazing opportunity to witness this tradition and ceremony to welcome in the New Year.

Hint

This festival has become popular and many people arrive in town to witness this amazing festival, it’s busy and dark so keep an eye on your little ones. The ceremony lasts for 3-4 hours with the final lighting of the shaden at about 10pm. It does get freezing standing in the snow so dress warmly and perhaps have dinner and come back. I never thought we would be so cold at a fire festival!!! Definitely need to finish the night with a soak in one of the 13 village onsens to warm up.

While you are here…

Visit the Snow Monkeys
Skiing and Snowboarding
Soak in one of the public onsens of Nozawa Onsen

Big thanks to our awesome neighbours the Paul’s for the use of some of their photos of the Fire Festival, it was great to share this experience with you!