Inomata Hundred Light festival, or Inomata 108 lights, is one of 312 Important Intangible Folk Properties of Japan. It is held annually on the 15th of August in the Inomata area of Misato in the Kodama District of Saitama. Furthermore, it is the unique bon ceremony of the town with an approximate 400 hundred year history.
Inomata Hundred Light Festival
The event was cancelled in both 2020 and 2021 due to the Coronavirus Outbreak. It was on in part in 2022, but was not open to the general public. In 2023, they are inviting anyone to come along! But they ask that you come by public transport and not by car.
The Inomata clan was one of the seven Musashi clans. Moreover, the Inomata chieftain was very influential in the Heian period. The festival is started with a traditional taiko drum performance before the ceremony. For the ceremony local volunteers, dressed in festival garb, light 108 mounds with fire. The mounds stretch from Kodai Temple to Mt Domae. They launch fireworks afterwards. It is a spectacular sight to see the stunning fireworks over 108 mounds of fire.
Information
Event: Inomata Hundred Light Festival sometimes called Misato Summer Festival 猪俣の百八燈
Date: August 15th annually
Time: generally from around 6.30 pm.
Cost: free
Location: from Kodai Temple to Mt Domae
Featured image from the official event webpage on the official Misato Tourism website.
Access Inomata Hundred (108) Light Festival
The nearest train station is Yodo station on the JR Hachiko line. It takes about 25 minutes on foot from the station to Kodai Temple.
I temporarily removed this post from the website during the pandemic. I republished in 2023.