Wakakusa Yamayaki

The ritual Wakakusa Yamayaki burning of the grass on Wakakusa Hill, Nara, during which the whole 342-metre hill is set ablaze, is surely one of the most stunning sights of Japan's festival year.

Wakakusa Yamayaki starts around 5.30pm with purification rituals and (not surprisingly!) prayers for safety during the event, followed by a fireworks display. Then monks sound blasts on conch shells and the dead winter grass at the base of Wakakusa Hill is ignited. This dangerous work is done by priests dressed as warriors (assisted by members of the Nara Fire Brigade), using torches lit with the sacred flame of Kasuga Shrine.

The fires spread quickly and by 6.30pm the whole mountain is engulfed in flames, dramatically lighting up the winter sky. The best view is from the foot of the hill in Nara Park, but the flames and accompanying fireworks can be seen from all over Nara. Be prepared for crowds - more than 100,000 people turn out for Wakakusa Yamayaki!

With a history going back at least as far as the Kamakura Period (1185-1333), the origins of Wakakusa Yamayaki have become shrouded in mystery. Some claim that the warrior costumes hark back to a land dispute between the Todaiji and Kofukuji Temples, but a more likely explanation is that the fires are a remnant of agricultural field clearing - the land is burnt to get rid of pests and promote fresh spring growth. Fearful of these fires getting out of control, Nara's temples and shrines proclaimed a single day of the year for such activities, and this is commemorated in the event seen today.