HAKONE JAPAN > THINGS TO DO > EVENTS & FESTIVALS > Daimonji Yaki

Daimonji Yaki

Mountainside fires signaling the spirits of our ancestors

| Gora/Miyagino | Matsuri, Festival & Event |

In the middle of summer, the Japanese celebrate the days of Obon. Obon is considered a time when the spirits of our ancestors come back to visit us for a short time. Towards the end of this spiritual time, a mountainside of Hakone is lit by large fires to form the shape of 大. This activity is believed to help guide the spirits back to their home.

This Hakone event has a festive and fun atmosphere with fireworks, live music, and food stalls. The area around Gora Station is the center of the activity and gives you some of the best views of the fires and fireworks.

Festival Date	August 13
Area	Gora
Access	Get to Gora

Hakone Art Museum

Okada Mokichi, the founder of the museum, initially purchased a villa here in Gora that belonged to the twentieth-century tycoon Fujiyama Raita in 1944. He then gradually acquired adjacent lots to form what is today the Shinsenkyō garden.

The attached gardens offer the opportunity to enjoy changing views through seasons; the moss garden with maples, the rock garden Sekiraku-en (partially open), and the Japanese bush clover along the Hagi-no-michi path.