Wakakusa Yamayaki

Nara · Fire festival

The dry grass on a whole hillside above Nara is burned off after dark, with fireworks first. One of the few big festivals in deep winter.

Dates

23 January 2027

Provisional, not yet confirmed by the organizers

The fourth Saturday in January. Confirm with the prefecture before booking, and note there is no rain date: bad weather cancels it outright.

The fourth Saturday in January. There is no rain date: light rain and it goes ahead, bad weather and it is called off that morning, so keep the trip flexible.

Dates checked against the official site on August 21, 2026

Wakakusa is the round grassy hill behind Todai-ji, and once a year the whole face of it is set on fire. Fireworks go up first, which is unusual in winter and worth seeing on its own, and then the grass is lit from the base and the line of flame works its way up. The reason given for it has changed over the centuries, from a boundary dispute between temples to simple pest control, and nobody has settled the question. What is certain is that the hill has to be burned or it turns to scrub, so the practical version is probably the older one. It is over in well under an hour. The burn is visible from most of central Nara, so you do not need to be at the foot of the hill to see it, and the view from a distance is arguably better because you get the whole outline.

Getting a good spot

The roads around Nara Park close to traffic and the paths fill up well before dark. January evenings in the Nara basin are cold and you will be standing outdoors for a couple of hours. If the crowd at the hill looks impossible, walk back towards the station and watch from there.

Where it happens

Mount Wakakusa Main site A 342-metre grass-covered hill at the eastern edge of Nara Park, known for its wide views over the city and its annua... Nara Park Historic park home to over 1,000 freely roaming sacred deer and several UNESCO World Heritage temples.

Access

Common questions

When is Wakakusa Yamayaki?

The fourth Saturday in January. It is one of the few Japanese festivals whose date moves with the calendar rather than sitting on a fixed day. There is no rain date, so bad weather cancels that year's burning rather than postponing it.

Where is the best place to watch?

Anywhere with a clear line to the hill. Nara Park is the obvious choice and the most crowded; the open ground near the station and the approach to Todai-ji both work, and from further out you see the whole outline of the burn rather than a wall of flame.