Large torches are seen lit up during the "Yoshida no Himatsuri" fire festival in the city of Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi Prefecture, on Aug. 26, 2021. (Toshio Odagiri)

       FUJIYOSHIDA, Yamanashi -- The "Yoshida no Himatsuri" (Yoshida fire festival) was held on Aug. 26 and 27 in this city west of Tokyo to announce the end of Mount Fuji's summer climbing season.

       The Kitaguchihongu Fuji Sengenjinja shrine and the Fujiyoshida Tourism Promotion Service asked people other than shrine and event officials not to come to see the festival because of the coronavirus pandemic. More than 90 large torches were lit along National Route 139 at the northern foot of Mount Fuji, signaling the end of summer.

       Two "mikoshi" portable shrines loaded on a forklift arrived at the Kamiyoshida Community Center, which is the "otabisho" or temporary resting place for portable shrine deities, just past 6 p.m. on Aug. 26. The large torches were then lit one after another on the lonely road leading up to Mount Fuji.

       Autumn will reach its peak after the festival, and before long Mount Fuji will get its first official dusting of snow, and then its iconic white cap will return for the winter.

       (Japanese original by Toshio Odagiri)

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