DAIMONJI NO OKURIBI

The "Daimonji fires", symbol of summer in Kyoto, take place on the evening of August 16, at the end of theO-bon period. Huge burning Chinese characters are drawn on the mountains surrounding the city. The easiest signs to observe are the dai (meaning great) on Mount Daimonji, the myô and hô (Buddha's wonderful teaching) on Matsugasaki Nishiyama and Higashiyama. Each fire burns for about 40 minutes. Locals and visitors compete for the best viewpoints.