Photo= The "Daimonji" bonfire blazes as Kyoto citizens and tourists look on (August 16, eastward view from Demachi-bashi Nishizume, Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto)

"Gozan no Okuribi," a traditional Kyoto event to send off the spirits of ancestors who were welcomed back during the O-bon holidays, was held in Kyoto City on the night of August 16. Residents and visitors silently observed the magnificent scene of vibrant flames burning the night sky, and rued the passing of summer.

At 8:00 p.m., the light up started on the mountains surrounding the Kyoto basin area. Following the character "Daimonji" on Mt. Nyoigatake in Sakyo Ward, "Myo," "Ho," "Funagata," "Hidari-Daimonji" and "Toriigata" blazed in the darkness.

Even though the intense heat of the day had eased a little, the temperature at light up was still over 31 degrees Celsius. Many residents and visitors flocked to the riverside of the Kamo River and the main streets' sidewalks. They watched while putting their hands together in remembrance of the deceased or taking shots of the blazing fires. According to the Kyoto Prefectural Police announcement, approximately 80,000 people filled the city.