The event has ended] Saturday, November 8, 2025! A traditional fire festival in Sukagawa, Fukushima, scorching the night sky in autumn [Torchlight Akashi].

  • Fukushima
  • Sightseeing
Taimatsu Akashi
The torchlight festival held in Sukagawa City, Fukushima Prefecture, is a traditional fire festival that has continued for more than 430 years. It is held every year on the second Saturday in November at the top of Mt. Gorozan in Midorigaoka Park, and the 2025 festival will be held on Saturday, November 8. In the park, the largest torch will be about 10 meters long and weigh about 3 tons, and about 20 other torches will stand in a row, blazing majestically in the night sky. It is an autumnal tradition in Sukagawa City that scorches the night sky.

Origin of the taimatsu akashi

The torchlight festival originated more than 430 years ago during the Warring States Period, when Sukagawa Castle was invaded by Date Masamune, and people gathered with torches in their hands to defend the castle. After a fierce battle, the town of Sukagawa was set on fire and Sukagawa Castle was engulfed in flames and fell. In the Edo period (1603-1867), on October 10 of the lunar calendar, Sukagawa held an event to mourn those who died in the battle against Sukagawa Castle by throwing "torches" (torches or bonfires) at each other. The torchlight ceremony is now held at Mt. Goro in Sukagawa City as a memorial service for the repose of the souls of the dead and as an expression of gratitude to the ancestors who have preserved and passed on this event through various changes.
Huge burning torches

Highlights of Taimatsu Akashi

Fire lighting at Nikaido Shrine

Before the fire festival at Mt. Goro, a "Gojinka Houjyu" is held at Nikaido Shrine, where the torches are attached to the sacred fire, which is received by the Gojinka Houjyu team. Nikaido Shrine is dedicated to the Nikaido clan, lords of Sukagawa Castle, and is built on the ruins of Sukagawa Castle.

Hon-Tsukashi parade" by junior high school students in the city

After the fire is lit at Nikaido Shrine, the students themselves carry the torches made at junior high schools in the city in a procession from the torch street in the center of Sukagawa City to Mt.
Taimatsu made by junior high school students in the city

Taimatsu drum and torch lighting

At 6:30 p.m., the torches will be ignited amidst the beating of a heroic torch drum. All the torches are lit and the mountainside is enveloped in bright red flames. The torchlight burning in the late autumn night sky is very powerful!

Performance time of torchlight drums (tentative)
Part 1 / around 18:00-18:30 (torchlight ignition), Part 2 / around 18:45-20:00
Taimatsu drums
The lighting of the torches

Detailed information about the 2025 Taimatsu Akashi

● Eve Festival
Date/Time/Friday, November 7, 2025 18:00-19:00
Venue/Iwase Hachiman Shrine
Contents/ Memorial Service

● Day
Date/Time/Saturday, November 8, 2025 around 11:00-20:00
Venue/Goroiyama (in Midorigaoka Park), around Nakamachi, Sukagawa, Fukushima (torchlight street), Nikado Shrine
Contents/ Bonfire setting, Komatsuki Procession, torchlight display, receiving the sacred fire, hon-taimatsu parade, torch lighting, taimatsu drumming, etc.

*Some parts of the schedule may be subject to change due to weather or other reasons.
For the latest information, please check the official website of the Sukagawa City Taimatsu Akashi or the official SNS.
Festival participants watching the burning torches
Sukagawa City, Taimatsu Akashi official website
Taimatsu Akashi official SNS

Why not take this opportunity to see the taimatsu akashi?

A traditional fire festival that has continued for more than 430 years, the torch festival is well worth seeing! About 20 giant torches blazing in flames and taimatsu drums performed by local people create a fantastic atmosphere. Why not take this opportunity to see the taimatsu akashi?

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