The Taimatsu Akashi is one of Japan’s three major fire festivals, held annually on the second Saturday of November in Sukagawa City, Fukushima Prefecture. With a history spanning over 420 years, the festival traces its origins to the time when feudal lord Date Masamune captured the former Sukagawajo Castle. Locals reportedly gathered with torches to protect the castle, and the tradition evolved into a memorial event to honor the souls of fallen soldiers.
The highlight of the festival is the procession of massive torches, each weighing around 3 tons and measuring 10 meters long. Carried through the town by groups of 150 men, the torches are then taken up Mt. Gorozan. As night falls, the sound of traditional taiko drums echoes through the air while the torches are set ablaze, turning the mountainside into a striking sea of red flames.
