22nd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest People
People cheering as burning sparks approach

The climax of the festival is when people are covered in sparks from a burning fern, and it is said that they will be free from illness and misfortune for a year. People run away from the heat, but they also want the gods' protection. Cheers and screams fly everywhere

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 10.2024
Date Uploaded: 10.2024
Photo Location: Oita, Japan
Camera: V-Lux 5
Copyright: © Keigo Nakamura