TOE-STY

Fire-Walking Buddhist Monks Hold Festival to Ward Off Plague

The annual hiwatari matsuri at Mt. Takaosan was limited to 1,000 mask-wearing participants.

Japanese worshippers joined Buddhist monks in an annual stroll over scorching coals to ward off plagues this Sunday. The so-called Hiwatari Matsuri festival, which has been held for 50 years at Mt. Takaosan, was limited to just 1,000 participants who had to wear masks and who followed social distancing regulations, according to Reuters. “Passing your body through the flames cleanses your soul and delivers your prayers to Buddha,” Koshou Kamimura, a Buddhist monk told Reuters. “Historically, Mt. Takaosan is an important place to pray for deliverance from plagues, so I felt we should hold the festival this year with certain precautions.”