Many sweets at this time of year are inspired by the Okuribi, with a small Daimonji featuring.

A bellflower inspired sweet. Already by this time of year it is autumn in the traditional calendar and so fall flower designs begin to make an appearance on sweets.

Many sweets at this time of year are inspired by the Okuribi, with a small Daimonji featuring.

Many sweets at this time of year are inspired by the Okuribi, with a small Daimonji featuring.

Unlike the Gion and Aoi festivals, the Okuribi's origins are hazy.

In 1603 the nobleman Funabashi Hidekata (舟橋秀賢), in his diary 'Keichō Nikken-roku' (慶長日件録), describes going to the Kamo River to see the mountain bonfires. It is the earliest record we have.

#GozannoOkuribi #送り火 #sendofffires

Funagata, the giant boat shaped Gozan-no-Okuribi.

Funagata during the summer with the boat shape still visible on the mountain slope.

🔥舟形🔥

Funagata (舟形) is the 3rd of the Gozan-no-Okuribi. The ringing of the temple bell at Saihō-ji (西方寺) signals the bonfire to be lit at 8:15pm.

As the name suggests, the bonfires form the shape of a huge boat on the side of Mt Myōken (妙見山 aka Nishigamoyama 西賀茂山).

#Funagata #舟形 #GozannoOkuribi

Looking down Imadegawa Street towards Daimonji, the first of the Gozan-no-Okuribi to be lit.

One of many sweets inspired by the shape of Daimonji (the first of the great bonfires to be lit on Kyoto's mountains).

A light purple sweet (made from a soft mochi) branded with the image of Daimonji.

A joyo manju sweet inspired by Daimonji (made from an orange jelly).

👋FAREWELL TO THE DEAD🔥

Obon draws to a close in Kyōto on August 16th. As darkness falls families say goodbye to the ancestral spirits for another year.

From 8pm fiery shapes appear on five of Kyōto's mountains...beacons guiding the dead back to the Netherworld.

#五山送り火 #Kyoto #GozannoOkuribi