【Kashimayari Snow Resort Family Park】”Kashimayari Fire Festival: Onbe-yaki for Health and Safety”
On Saturday, January 31st, Kashimayari Ski Resort will host its annual “Kashimayari Fire Festival” at a special venue in the Nakatsuna area.
The evening begins with the enchanting Manto Festival (Lantern Festival), followed by powerful Taiko drum performances, a mesmerizing Torchlight Skiing parade, and a grand fireworks display.
The highlight of the event is “Onbe-yaki,” a traditional New Year ritual to bid farewell to the deities and pray for good health and protection throughout the year.
The word “Onbe” refers to “Gohei”—a sacred wooden wand used in Shinto purification rituals. It also describes the cone-shaped bonfire made of New Year decorations, which are burned in the ceremony to send the gods back to the heavens.
Interestingly, the origins of the “Gohei” can be traced back to Japanese mythology in the Kojiki, where it was used as a symbolic tool during the grand mission to open the “Amano-Iwato” (Celestial Rock Cave). In the famous Onbashira Festival of Suwa, “Onbe” are crafted using thin, delicate wood shavings attached to the tips of poles.
The roaring flames against the pitch-black night and the stunning fireworks will surely warm your heart and soul!
■Event Overview
Date:
Saturday,January 31,2026
Schedule:
17:30 – Manto Festival (Lantern Festival)
18:20 – Opening Ceremony
18:30 – Genryu Miasa Taiko (Traditional Drum Performance)
18:50 – Torchlight Skiing
18:55 – Onbe-yaki Ritual
*Burning of New Year decorations to pray for health and safety.
19:10 – Fireworks Display
▼For more details, click here:
https://kanko-omachi.gr.jp/event/92779/
