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Toba Fire Festival

Toba Fire Festival

Date: Feb 8,2026(Sun)

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1,200 years of continuous culture at one of Japan's unusual festivals

The Toba Fire Festival is said to have started around 1,200 years ago at Toba Shimmeisha Shrine.
Two giant five-meter-tall "Suzumi" torches made of bamboo and thatch are set up and lit within the grounds of the shrine. Men called "Kami Otoko" (literally "God Men") and religious servants dressed in clothing made from old shrine banners are divided into two teams (the "Fukuchi", or "Bountiful Land", team and the Kanchi", or "Arid Land" team) which jump into the flames, competing to bring out the wood from sacred trees and twelve ropes which are then brought before the altar as an offering. The condition of the fire and victory/loss between the two teams are used to divine the year's weather and how plentiful the harvest will be.

You may not claim a spot to observe or take pictures at the Toba Fire Festival as it can interfere with the festival's preparation.

Note that if you have claimed an area before 7:00 am on the day of the Fire Festival, Toba Shimmeisha Shrine staff will have removed all you have set down on the premises.

EVENT OVERVIEW

Date	• Around 3:00 pm Misogi purification ritual • Around 7:30 pm Religious rituals before the altar • Around 8:00 pm Lighting of the Suzumi torches
Place	Toba Shimmeisha Shrine
Location	〒444-0704 89 Nishibasama, Toba-cho, Nishio-shi, Aichi
Fee	Free of charge Note: • Prices are subject to change. Check the official site, etc. for the most up-to-date information.
Parking	Available (A temporary parking lot is available at Furusato Park, but public transportation is suggested as the parking lot becomes congested.)
Phone number	0563-57-7840 (Nishio Tourist Information Office, available 9:30 am–4:30 pm)

Note: This page may not be current due to update time differences between site databases.
Should accuracy be critical, please verify this information using a direct source, whenever possible.

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ACCESS

Access by public transport

10-min. (1 km) walk north from Mikawa Toba Station on the Meitetsu Gamagori Line (from Meitetsu Nagoya Station, take the fast service Meitetsu Nagoya Line/Meitetsu Nishio Line bound for Kira Yoshida Station, then change trains to the slower Meitetsu Gamagori Line and get off at Mikawa Toba Station).
Access by car

Approx. 40 min. (30 km) south from Toyota-Minami Interchange on the Isewangan Expressway via Kinuura-Toyota Road, Routes 419, 23, 383, 310, 42, and 317.