bonfire in the buff

Every fall, the small town of Kurama holds a Fire Festival, or Hi Matsuri. Thousands of people line the tiny main street, pushing, shoving, and falling over each other in order to get a good look at the mostly naked men parading through the streets with dangerous amounts of fire.

Kurama is just a short train ride north of Kyoto, and in the fall the train line lights up the leaves canopying the tracks. If you don't go for the Hi Matsuri, you can also enjoy Kyoto's only outdoor hot springs, hike in the surrounding mountains, or climb up to the top of Kurama Temple, where the famous historical figure Yoshitsune grew up.

I visited Kurama several times during my stay in Kyoto, doing all of the above activities. The Hi Matsuri, however, was one of those experiences that I'll say I'd like to have again, but not really believe myself. It was crazy how much fire was being waved around in a town built almost entirely of wood. But that wasn't the most dangerous thing; it was the sheer number of people pressed into such a small place that even your movement was mostly dictated by the six people surrounding you.

I think I'll take a bonfire in my backyard over the Hi Matsuri anyday.