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Hakone Daimonji-yaki

The Hakone Daimonji-yaki is the last major festival of summer in Hakone and involves lighting torches on a hillside in lines forming the character “dai” 大 (great, large). It takes place on August 16, the final day of the Buddhist Obon period, during which people honor the spirits of their ancestors by temporarily welcoming them back into the realm of the living. In practice, this means visiting and cleaning graves, remembering the deceased, and simply spending time with one’s family. While the Daimonji-yaki was started in 1921 to promote tourism at a time when Hakone was just emerging as a leisure destination, its role in customary beliefs—and that of the more famous Gozan no Okuribi festival in Kyoto, on which it was modeled—is to guide ancestral spirits back to the afterlife. The fires, placed near the summit of Mt. Myojin in Gora, are fueled by 200 to 300 torches, each one a bundle of about a hundred stalks of shinodake bamboo, which are tied together and set up on the mountainside. Local volunteers gather every Sunday between June and the day of the festival to prepare for the event; the finished character is more than 100 meters top-to-bottom and almost as wide. Once lit, the torches are quickly turned over to set fire to their other end, ensuring quick and even combustion. Fireworks are also set off as the fires burn, giving the spirits of the dead a spectacular sendoff.

箱根「大」字形篝火

夏季的箱根所舉行的最後一場重要祭典，便是箱根「大｣字形篝火。此祭典於佛教盂蘭盆節的最後一天——8月16日舉行，旨在讓祖先之靈暫返塵世。屆時，只見山腰上一眾火炬以線狀排列開來，呈現一個「大｣字。日本的盂蘭盆節實有灑掃墓地、緬懷故人、闔家團聚之意。當時，作為休閒勝地的箱根剛聲名鵲起，為促進其觀光旅遊業，「大｣字形篝火於1921年應運而生。這項祭典模仿了更具知名度的京都「五山送火｣，作為人們所尊奉的習俗，兩項祭典都象徵著將祖先之靈送返黃泉之下。明神岳位於強羅地區，設置在其山頂附近的篝火，由200至300支火把組成。而每支火把更由約100根筱竹捆紮而成。從6月至祭典當日，當地志願者們每逢周日便齊聚一堂，緊鑼密鼓地準備活動。而最終完成的「大｣字，高約100公尺。點燃後的火把被倒轉過來，另一端也被點燃，進而使其迅速、均勻地充分燃燒。熊熊燃燒的篝火，伴隨著煙火沖天，可說是一場對逝者之靈的隆重送別。

箱根“大”字形篝火

箱根“大”字形篝火是夏季在箱根举行的最后一场重要祭典。该祭典于佛教盂兰盆节的最后一天——8月16日举行，目的是让祖先之灵暂返凡世间。届时，只见山腰上一众火炬以线状排列开来，呈现一个“大”字。日本的盂兰盆节实则有清扫陵墓、凭悼故人、合家团聚之意。当时，作为休闲胜地的箱根刚崭露头角不久，为推进其观光旅游业，“大”字形篝火于1921年应运而生。这项祭典效仿了更具盛名的京都“五山送火”，作为人们所信奉的习俗，两项祭典均象征着将祖先之灵送返黄泉之下。明神岳位于强罗地区，被设置于其山顶附近的篝火，由200至300支火把组成。而每支火把则由约100根筱竹捆扎而成。从6月至祭典当天，当地志愿者们每逢周日便齐聚一堂，紧锣密鼓地筹备活动。而最终完成的“大”字，约100米见方。点燃后的火把被倒转过来，另一端也被点燃，从而使其快速、均匀地充分燃烧。熊熊燃烧的篝火，伴随着焰火升天，实为一场对逝者之灵的盛大送别。