Nozawa Fire Festival

Don’t know what to make of snow, fire, and sake? Well, Japanese people do. And they do it with flare! Every January 15th, the Nozawa Onsen Village holds a breathtaking fire festival to pray for the health, good fortune, and abundance. What better way to do it than burning a massive man-made tower for everybody to see? Let’s dive into this exciting, pyrocentric celebration.

The Village

This unique festival started in 1863 to drive out bad luck. There’s really not much of a history for us to share but the location, we can say a lot about.

The festival is held in Nozawa Onsen, one of the few Japanese Village preserving tradition amidst modernization. It boasts picturesque snow mountains, a beautiful and tranquil ski resort, and friendly village people.  Talk about, a first-class skiing experience, stunning views, and fine snow.

What to Expect

Aside from numerous parades, locals and tourists enjoy the overflowing of free sake courtesy of the village’s local firemen!

Going to be in Hakuba on January 15th? Make sure to check out the Nozawa Fire Festival 🔥📸 @keloggs #ozsnow #nozawafirefestival #japow

A post shared by Oz Snow (@ozsnow_) on Nov 2, 2016 at 10:24pm PDT

Then, there’s the “fire-setting” performance. It’s more of a stages battle between 25 and 42 year old village men with the goal of turning a towering wooden shrine into ashes.

Last shot before my battery died. #nozawafirefestival

A post shared by Kiel Smith (@evenke3l) on Jan 16, 2017 at 11:17pm PST

The man-made shrine is made out of rice stalk, wood (of course), and other natural materials that are deemed flammable.

It’s also important to share that it takes an army to build the shrine, say about 100 men.

Deixei a melhor para o final – fogo em câmera lenta – parte 2 🔥🔥🔥 #japan #japantrip #experience #nozawaonsen #nozawafirefestival #instapic #instaphoto #instafestival #instajapan #amazing #🇯🇵🎌⛩🎎🏮🔥

A post shared by Wfelicio (@wfelicio) on Jan 15, 2016 at 7:26am PST

Now for the highlight! As the shrine continuously gets attacked, it eventually turns into a massive bonfire that bears a warm light that envelopes almost the entire village.

I love this place 🇯🇵 (Photo cred: @daneburchill)

A post shared by J O D I E ✖️CHESTER-MASTER (@jlcm) on Jan 19, 2017 at 2:34am PST

As a way of capping of the fire festival, fireworks are lit, adding an even more festive vibe to the already festive occasion.

Getting There

Being one of Japan’s biggest fire festivals, local and foreign tourists rave about the experience all the time. To experience the same, here’s how you can get there to join the festivities.

Chuo Taxi
If you’re making your way to the village from Tokyo or any of the airports in Nagoya, you can take the Chuo Taxi. It’s a long way from these locations, though so traveling might take you anywhere between 5 to 6 hours.

Group Chartered Bus
For larger groups (20 people) or individuals that don’t mind taking the bus to get to the village, you can ride a charter bus going to the festival.

Private Bus Service
You can book a bus trip through private travel agencies from Tokyo to Nozawa Onsen village.

By Train
From Hanida or Narita Airport, you can get on a 60-90-minute Express Train ride to Tokyo or Ueno Station.

You can also get on the new Shinkansen Train from Tokyo to Iiyama Station. Travel time? 1.5 hours. Once you get off at Iiyama Station, take the Nozawa Onsen Liner bus or ride a taxi going to the village. Both routes will get you to the festival in 20 minutes.

By Car
If you can rent a car or have your own, you can just take a 4-hour drive from Tokyo to the village.