Update: This event has been canceled due to the coronavirus.
Ever wanted to see people walking barefoot through fire? The fire walking (Hiwatari) festival is an annual event on the second Sunday of March and consists of a large open-air fire ritual called Saito Goma-ku. It is held in the open area in front of the Kito-den Hall at the foot of Mount Takao.
As though it were by the hands of Izuna Daigongen, worshippers rub their bodies with sticks called nadegi, which are later thrown into the flames. When the fire dies down, yamabushi and participants walk barefoot over the hot coals, praying for protection against sickness and calamity and for safety within the family. The flames are considered to purify people by burning all defilements away.
To get there, the best is to arrive at Takaosanguchi Station via the Keio Line from Shinjuku Station. It takes approximately 1 hour and costs ¥390.
Venue: Takaosan Car Park next to the station
高尾山では毎年3月の第二日曜日に高尾山麓の自動車祈祷殿広場にて火渡り祭が行われます。燃え盛る焔と勇壮な儀式が圧巻の高尾山修験道の一大イベントです。一般の方も修験者に続き火を渡ることができます。
火渡り祭とは、高尾山御本尊飯縄大権現の衆生救済の御誓願に基づき、真言密教加持の極致である御護摩（浄火により災厄を祓う火の行）を修行することにより、世界平和、息災延命、災厄消除、交通安全、身上安全等を祈念するもので、これを修行する行者は、心身修練の功を積んだ高尾山の山伏であります。
当日参拝のご信徒並びに有縁の方々は、この行事に参加することがすでに本尊の無量の法益に浴することであり、且つ火渡りをされる方々は、更にその身の災厄を祓う功徳もいただけるわけであります。
会場: 自動車祈祷殿広場
Organizer and contact (Japanese): https://www.takaosan.or.jp/taiken/hiwatari.html
via Tokyo’s Festivals:
Tokyo’s Festivals presents an overview on Tokyo’s great festivals (mostly free festivals about food, culture, fireworks and music), so that more people find out about Tokyo’s best events. If you are interested in festivals in Tokyo, feel free to visit and like their page (Link: fb.com/TokyosFestivals) and follow their instagram (Link: instagram.com/tokyosfestivals).
