Mountain bonfire in Kyoto

Mountain bonfire in Kyoto

A giant bonfire in the shape of the Chinese character for "large" is lit on the side of a mountain during the Gozan Okuribi festival in Kyoto on Aug. 16, 2024.

Mountain bonfire in Kyoto

Mountain bonfire in Kyoto

A giant bonfire in the shape of the Chinese character for "large" is lit on the side of a mountain during the Gozan Okuribi festival in Kyoto on Aug. 16, 2024.

Kyoto Gozan Okuribi Festival

Kyoto Gozan Okuribi Festival

Kyoto Gozan Okuribi Festival=Date:August 16, 2023,Place:Kyoto

Kyoto Gozan Okuribi Festival

Kyoto Gozan Okuribi Festival

Kyoto Gozan Okuribi Festival=Date:August 16, 2023,Place:Kyoto

Kyoto Gozan Okuribi Festival

Kyoto Gozan Okuribi Festival

Kyoto Gozan Okuribi Festival=Date:August 16, 2023,Place:Kyoto

Kyoto Gozan Okuribi Festival

Kyoto Gozan Okuribi Festival

Kyoto Gozan Okuribi Festival=Date:August 16, 2023,Place:Kyoto

Kyoto Gozan Okuribi Festival

Kyoto Gozan Okuribi Festival

Kyoto Gozan Okuribi Festival=Date:August 16, 2023,Place:Kyoto

Kyoto Gozan Okuribi Festival

Kyoto Gozan Okuribi Festival

Kyoto Gozan Okuribi Festival=Date:August 16, 2023,Place:Kyoto

Kyoto Gozan Okuribi Festival

Kyoto Gozan Okuribi Festival

Kyoto Gozan Okuribi Festival=Date:August 16, 2023,Place:Kyoto

Kyoto Gozan Okuribi Festival

Kyoto Gozan Okuribi Festival

Kyoto Gozan Okuribi Festival=Date:August 16, 2023,Place:Kyoto

Kyoto Gozan Okuribi Festival

Kyoto Gozan Okuribi Festival

Kyoto Gozan Okuribi Festival=Date:August 16, 2023,Place:Kyoto

Kyoto Gozan Okuribi Festival

Kyoto Gozan Okuribi Festival

Kyoto Gozan Okuribi Festival=Date:August 16, 2023,Place:Kyoto

Kyoto Gozan Okuribi Festival

Kyoto Gozan Okuribi Festival

Kyoto Gozan Okuribi Festival=Date:August 16, 2023,Place:Kyoto

Mountain bonfire in Kyoto

Mountain bonfire in Kyoto

A giant bonfire forming the Chinese character for "large" is lit on a mountain during the Gozan Okuribi festival in Kyoto on Aug. 16, 2023.

Mountain bonfire in Kyoto

Mountain bonfire in Kyoto

A giant bonfire forming the Chinese character for "large" is lit on a mountain during the Gozan Okuribi festival in Kyoto on Aug. 16, 2023.

Kyoto mountain ablaze with bonfire

Kyoto mountain ablaze with bonfire

KYOTO, Japan - Locals and tourists enjoy viewing a giant bonfire in the shape of the Chinese character ''dai'' (great) on a mountain slope in Kyoto on Aug. 16. The Daimonji Okuribi (great bonfire) event is held each Aug. 16 to bid farewell to the souls of ancestors at the end of the Bon festival.

"Okuribi" bonfires in Kyoto

"Okuribi" bonfires in Kyoto

KYOTO, Japan - The Chinese character "dai," which means large, is formed by a bonfire on the slope of a mountain in Kyoto on Aug. 16, 2014, during the "Go-zan no Okuribi" event. Five giant bonfires are lit on mountains surrounding Kyoto as the souls of ancestors are said to return to the spirit world following the summer "Bon" season.

"Okuribi" bonfires in Kyoto

"Okuribi" bonfires in Kyoto

KYOTO, Japan - The Chinese character "dai," which means large, is formed by a bonfire on the slope of a mountain in Kyoto on Aug. 16, 2014, during the "Go-zan no Okuribi" event. Five giant bonfires are lit on mountains surrounding Kyoto as the souls of ancestors are said to return to the spirit world following the summer "Bon" season.

Giant bonfire lights up Kyoto mountain

Giant bonfire lights up Kyoto mountain

KYOTO, Japan - A giant bonfire in the shape of the Chinese character ''dai'' (great) lights up a mountain in Kyoto on Aug. 16. The Daimonji Okuribi event is held each Aug. 16 to bid farewell to the souls of ancestors at the end of the Bon festival.

Kyoto mountains ablaze with bonfire

Kyoto mountains ablaze with bonfire

KYOTO, Japan - An estimated 120,000 locals and tourists enjoy viewing a giant bonfire in the shape of the Chinese character ''dai'' (great) on a mountain in Kyoto on Aug. 16. Four other fires were lit on other mountains surrounding the city. The Daimonji Okuribi event is held each Aug. 16 to bid farewell to the souls of ancestors at the end of the Bon festival.

Kyoto mountains ablaze with Bon fire

Kyoto mountains ablaze with Bon fire

KYOTO, Japan - An estimated 160,000 locals and tourists enjoy viewing a giant bonfire in the shape of the Chinese character 'dai' (great) on Mt. Nyoigatake in Kyoto on Aug. 16. Four other fires were lit on other mountains surrounding the city. The Daimonji Okuribi event is held each Aug. 16 to bid farewell to the souls of ancestors at the end of the Bon festival.

Kyoto mountains ablaze with Bon fire

Kyoto mountains ablaze with Bon fire

KYOTO, Japan - Locals and tourists view a giant bonfire in the shape of the Chinese character 'dai' (great) on Mt. Nyoigatake in Kyoto on Aug. 16. Four other fires were lit on other mountains surrounding the city. The Daimonji Okuribi event is held each Aug. 16 to bid farewell to the souls of ancestors at the end of the Bon festival.

Fires lit in shape of ''Dai'' (large) in Kyoto

Fires lit in shape of ''Dai'' (large) in Kyoto

KYOTO, Japan - Bonfires spelling out the Chinese character ''Dai'' (large) were lit on a hillside in Kyoto on Aug. 16 in the annual Daimonji Okuribi event symbolizing the return of the souls of the dead to heaven.

Bonfire lighted in Kyoto to mark souls' return

Bonfire lighted in Kyoto to mark souls' return

KYOTO, Japan - People watch a bonfire in the shape of the Chinese character meaning ''large'' on Mt. Nyoigatake in Kyoto on Aug. 16 in the Daimonji Okuribi event. The event marks the return to heaven of the souls of the dead.

"Gozan Okuribi" event in Kyoto

"Gozan Okuribi" event in Kyoto

People observe the Chinese character "dai," which means large, formed by a bonfire on the slope of the Nyoigatake in Kyoto on Aug. 16, 2015, during the "Gozan Okuribi" event. Five giant Chinese characters were formed by bonfires on mountains surrounding Kyoto as the souls of ancestors are said to return to the spirit world following the summer "Bon" season. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

"Gozan Okuribi" event in Kyoto

"Gozan Okuribi" event in Kyoto

People observe the Chinese character "dai," which means large, formed by a bonfire on the slope of the Nyoigatake in Kyoto on Aug. 16, 2015, during the "Gozan Okuribi" event. Five giant Chinese characters were formed by bonfires on mountains surrounding Kyoto as the souls of ancestors are said to return to the spirit world following the summer "Bon" season. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Kyoto mountain ablaze with bonfire

Kyoto mountain ablaze with bonfire

KYOTO, Japan - Locals and tourists enjoy viewing a giant bonfire in the shape of the Chinese character ''dai'' (great) on a mountain slope in Kyoto on Aug. 16. The Daimonji Okuribi (great bonfire) event is held each Aug. 16 to bid farewell to the souls of ancestors at the end of the Bon festival. (Kyodo)

Giant bonfire lights up Kyoto mountain

Giant bonfire lights up Kyoto mountain

KYOTO, Japan - A giant bonfire in the shape of the Chinese character ''dai'' (great) lights up a mountain in Kyoto on Aug. 16. The Daimonji Okuribi event is held each Aug. 16 to bid farewell to the souls of ancestors at the end of the Bon festival. (Kyodo)

Kyoto mountains ablaze with bonfire

Kyoto mountains ablaze with bonfire

KYOTO, Japan - An estimated 120,000 locals and tourists enjoy viewing a giant bonfire in the shape of the Chinese character ''dai'' (great) on a mountain in Kyoto on Aug. 16. Four other fires were lit on other mountains surrounding the city. The Daimonji Okuribi event is held each Aug. 16 to bid farewell to the souls of ancestors at the end of the Bon festival. (Kyodo)

"Okuribi" bonfires in Kyoto

"Okuribi" bonfires in Kyoto

KYOTO, Japan - The Chinese character "dai," which means large, is formed by a bonfire on the slope of a mountain in Kyoto on Aug. 16, 2014, during the "Go-zan no Okuribi" event. Five giant bonfires are lit on mountains surrounding Kyoto as the souls of ancestors are said to return to the spirit world following the summer "Bon" season. (Kyodo)

Daimonji Festival in Kyoto

Daimonji Festival in Kyoto

Photo taken on the night of Aug. 16, 2018, shows a bonfire in the shape of a giant Chinese character meaning "large" on a mountain side during the Daimonji Festival, one of the most famous events in Kyoto. In the festival, formally known as Gozan no Okuribi, five giant bonfires are lit on mountains surrounding the city in the culmination of the Obon period in summer. In Japan, it is believed that each year during Obon, ancestors' spirits return to this world in order to visit their relatives. The purpose of the bonfires is to guide these souls back to heaven. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Daimonji Festival in Kyoto

Daimonji Festival in Kyoto

Photo taken on the night of Aug. 16, 2019, shows a bonfire in the shape of a giant Chinese character meaning "large" on a mountain side during the Daimonji Festival, one of the most famous events in Kyoto. In the festival, formally known as Gozan no Okuribi, five giant bonfires are lit on mountains surrounding the city in the culmination of the Obon period in summer. In Japan, it is believed that each year during Obon, ancestors' spirits return to this world in order to visit their relatives. The purpose of the bonfires is to guide these souls back to heaven. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Kyoto mountains ablaze with Bon fire

Kyoto mountains ablaze with Bon fire

KYOTO, Japan - An estimated 160,000 locals and tourists enjoy viewing a giant bonfire in the shape of the Chinese character 'dai' (great) on Mt. Nyoigatake in Kyoto on Aug. 16. Four other fires were lit on other mountains surrounding the city. The Daimonji Okuribi event is held each Aug. 16 to bid farewell to the souls of ancestors at the end of the Bon festival. (Kyodo)

Kyoto mountains ablaze with Bon fire

Kyoto mountains ablaze with Bon fire

KYOTO, Japan - Locals and tourists view a giant bonfire in the shape of the Chinese character 'dai' (great) on Mt. Nyoigatake in Kyoto on Aug. 16. Four other fires were lit on other mountains surrounding the city. The Daimonji Okuribi event is held each Aug. 16 to bid farewell to the souls of ancestors at the end of the Bon festival. (Kyodo)

Fires lit in shape of ''Dai'' (large) in Kyoto

Fires lit in shape of ''Dai'' (large) in Kyoto

KYOTO, Japan - Bonfires spelling out the Chinese character ''Dai'' (large) were lit on a hillside in Kyoto on Aug. 16 in the annual Daimonji Okuribi event symbolizing the return of the souls of the dead to heaven.

Bonfire lighted in Kyoto to mark souls' return

Bonfire lighted in Kyoto to mark souls' return

KYOTO, Japan - People watch a bonfire in the shape of the Chinese character meaning ''large'' on Mt. Nyoigatake in Kyoto on Aug. 16 in the Daimonji Okuribi event. The event marks the return to heaven of the souls of the dead.