The 105th Hakone Gora Onsen 'Daimonji-yaki'

Summary

Gora Onsen in Hakone, Kanagawa, holds its Daimonji-yaki ritual on Sunday, August 16, 2026, from 19:30 for about 40 minutes. A send-off fire for the spirits of Obon, kept alive since 1921, it ignites in step with 2,000 shells and Niagara-style set pieces that fill the night sky over the hot-spring district. Gora-ondo bon dancing runs from 4 p.m., and memorial applications are accepted until 3 p.m. About 25,000 people attend, with traffic controls around the station.

Overview

Since the tenth year of the Taisho era, Gora has marked Obon with a send-off fire for all spirits, named and nameless. As the ritual flames catch, 2,000 shells and cascading Niagara set pieces light up the valley sky — a pairing of solemn rite and fireworks found at few other summer events. Memorial applications are taken until 3 p.m., so travelers can join in mid-journey. From 4 p.m. until the lighting, Gora-ondo bon dancing brings the steam-wreathed streets to life. The event spreads across Gora Onsen, best navigated from Hakone Tozan Railway's Gora Station, where traffic controls take effect nearby. Drivers arrive in about an hour from the Atsugi IC via the Odawara-Atsugi Road and Route 1, though parking is undecided — the railway is the safer bet.

Details

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