Every year in Kyoto, the 22nd of October is the most busy day—because the one of the major festivals (Jidai Matsuri), and one of the eccentric festival (Kurama no Hi Matsuri) will held on this day.
在京都，每年的10月22日是個特別熱鬧的日子：因為京都三大祭之一的時代祭、和京都三大奇祭之一的鞍馬火祭都選在這一天舉行。
An eccentric festival with flames and loincloths.
Kurama Fire Festival (Kurama no Hi Matsuri)
The Kurama Fire Festival is known as one of the three most eccentric festivals of Kyoto, with two others: Yasurai Matsuri and the Ushi Matsuri (Bull Festival, currently suspended). This festival held at Yuki Shrine in Kurama, on the evening of October 22nd each year right after the Jidai Matsuri.
At 6 p.m. when it getting dark, people started to lighted up the fires (Kagaribi) all at once in front of their houses. and children and adult walked on the street with their small and large pine torches (Taimatsu); the burning parade continued till pass the midnight, people saying loudly to announced the festival has began.
Yuki-jinja Shrine can be reached on foot from Kurama Station. Kurama Station is about 30 minutes from Demachi Yanagi Station on the Eizan Dentetsu Kurama Line. Demachi Yanagi Station is about 15 minutes from JR Kyoto Station. But this is the only railway to be in Kurama, so you can image that it could be tough to get out of there.
North of Kyoto, blanketed with dense forests of untouched nature, stands Mt Kurama; it is said that the Japanese hero—Minamoto no Yoshitsune had learnt here the way of the sword from the Sojobo Tengu (the heavenly dog). When you step out of the Kurama Station, you can see the huge Tengu statue stands there, looks mysterious in the quiet wistful mountain.
We walked along the street before the festival start, surround by the old streets and the old houses, huge torches and offerings were in front of the houses, just like time has frozen. But this festival is actually private for the residents, so try not to bother them when you are taking photos, otherwise it might not to be open for everyone.
When the nigh coming, a priest hold a small torch in the festive outfit, walked along the street and announced the festival has began. Then, children and adults dressed up in festive outfits—including girls and boys, parade through the main street carrying homemade heavy pinewood torches on their backs. The size and weight of the torches are proportional to the age of the person who carries it. The biggest ones are over 80kg and measure as much as 5 meters long!
In a mysterious mountain, nothing more impressive than a fire festival at night... Kurama no Hi Matsuri is the most unaffordable festival fore me after the Nyepi ceremony in Bali, appreciate the local people keeps it vivid and willing to share with everyone.
[一分鐘看鞍馬火祭 60 Seconds in Kurama Fire Festival ]
[相片集: 時代祭與鞍馬火祭 photo album]
充滿火焰與丁字褲的奇特慶典
鞍馬火祭（くらまのひまつり）
鞍馬火祭與今宮神社やすらい祭、広隆寺牛祭（目前停辦）並列京都三大奇祭，這個慶典於每年的10月22日緊接在時代祭、入夜之後在由鞍馬岐神社舉辦。傍晚六點當天色漸暗，家家戶戶陸續點燃門前的火炬(Kagaribi)，不分男女老少身著傳統服飾、手持大大小小的火把走上街頭；充滿火焰的遊行持續到午夜，人們以方言大聲宣布慶典開始。
從JR京都站乘坐電車約15分鐘，到出町柳站轉乘睿山電鐵睿山本線、鞍馬線約30分鐘，到鞍馬站下車後步行即可抵達由歧神社。但這是唯一的鐵道前往鞍馬，可想像結束時會有多困難才能離開這。
位於京都北方，未開發的自然景觀被森林所覆蓋，聳立著鞍馬山；傳說源義經在此向僧正谷的大天狗學習劍術。當你一步出鞍馬站，就會看到一尊巨大的天狗頭像，在這霧濛濛的山裡顯得特別神秘。
在活動開始前我們先在鞍馬的路上四處走走，古老的街道保留了許多懷舊的建物與佈置，家家戶戶門前放著巨型火炬、祭拜用的器具等，時空彷彿凍結了。不過鞍馬火祭是屬於當地居民的民俗活動，拍照時還是要尊重居民的隱私，不打擾他人才好。
正當天一黑，一位身著白衣的神職人員手持著火炬往街道走來，宣布火祭正式開始。不同於一般祭典成員以男性成人為主，街道上最先出現的是一位小妹妹和她的母親，穿著祭典服飾持著小火炬、一邊以方言呼喊著，朝著由歧神社走去；接著穿著丁字褲的男子們出現了，他們倆兩一組、肩上扛著是松木做成的巨型火炬。負責扛起巨型火炬的通常為當地的年輕壯丁，最大的火炬重達80公斤、5公尺長！有時能從他們的表情看出很吃力，不禁替光著屁股、貼著火焰的他們捏把冷汗。
在鞍馬山區的神秘氣息中，沒什麼比一個火祭的夜晚更叫人難忘的了⋯⋯鞍馬火祭絕對是繼峇里島新年慶典後，最讓我難忘的民俗活動，慶幸地方居民保留這樣特殊的傳統，讓我們能體會到這樣的震撼。
旅遊日期 Travel dates：23 Oct 2014
[旅遊資訊 info]
Kurama no Hi-Matsuri (Yuki Shrine)
http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/spot/festival/kuramanohi.html
Yasurai Matsuri (Imamiya Shrine)
http://www.imamiyajinja.org/eng/imamiya_ENG/Yasurai_festival.html
[東進西出 12 DAYS秋遊日本 read more]
京都 行程 預算 住宿心得 Travel Plan & Budget
明治神宮 & 橫濱一日遊 Meiji Shrine & Yokohama Day Tour
鎌倉半日遊 Kamakura Day Tour
東京打卡點 Tokyo Sights
京都 鞍馬火祭 Kurama Fire Festival
京都 時代祭 Festival of the Ages
嵐山一日遊 & 金閣寺 Arashiyama Day Tour & Golden Pavilion
京阪滿喫 Kyoto & Osaka
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