Mt. Kongo Fire-walking Sadhana

Praying for happiness

At Mt. Kongo Zuihoji Temple in Furumine, the “Fire-Walking Sadhana Festival” is held on the last Sunday on May, for burning away afflictions, warding off bad luck, and praying for family safety. The ceremony begins with the sound of a shugenja (mountain ascetic) blowing a trumpet shell, followed by the performance of the axe, bow, and sword, and then the flames of the goma are extinguished.

While sutra chanting echoes, shugenjas and participants walk barefoot on the path, praying for protection from bad luck, safety in the home, and the fulfillment of various wishes.

After the ceremony, shugenjas would share tributes (like deserts, sake) with people, which means sharing happiness with each others.

Location Map

Basic Information

Address	2239 Kusagyu, Kanuma, Tochigi Kobugahara Kongozan Zuihoji Temple
Telephone Number	0289-74-2401
Website	https://kanuma-kanko.jp/purpose/金剛山-火渡り修行/
Price	5000円〜
Date	2024 May 26 (Sun.) (Hold on the last Sunday on May every year)
Time	11:00〜12:00
Venue	Kongozan Zuihoji Temple
DIRECTIONS	自東武日光線新鹿沼站或JR鹿沼站搭乘古峰原線巴士約50分在「金剛山」下車即達 Take Kobugahara Line Bus at Tobu Shin-Kamuna or JR Kamuma Station and get off at "Kongozan".
Map Code	489 802 597*18

Central Area

Utsunomiya, the most populous city in Tochigi, is about an hour from Tokyo by Shinkansen, and serves as a major transportation hub for the different regions of the prefecture. In addition to being known for its famous Gyoza (pan-fried dumplings), Utsunomiya is called the “city of jazz and cocktails”, as there are numerous venues for hearing live jazz music, and the bartenders are quite skilled, so there are plenty of options for enjoyable nightlife.