Fire festivals are among the most widespread and distinctive forms of ritual practice across Japan. This study examines 156 cases of fire festivals in the Kinki region that draw on local plant resources, with the aim of clarifying their spatial distribution and cultural characteristics. Drawing on existing literature and online sources, the survey identified the locations and spatial settings of the festivals, their associated beliefs, the forms of fire presentation, and the status of cultural property designation. The results show that fire festivals are especially concentrated in the eastern part of Shiga Prefecture and the mountainous northern area of Kyoto City, while they are relatively scarce in the southern Kinki region and major urban centers. The spatial contexts in which these festivals take place display considerable diversity, and their timing is concentrated in April and August. In total, 32 types of associated beliefs were identified, including Ujigami worship, Spring worship, and Atago worship. Significant differences were also observed in the institutional structures of cultural property designation at the prefectural and municipal levels, with many festivals remaining undesignated. Taken together, these findings underscore the need to investigate fire festivals from a broader regional perspective, while also highlighting the importance of developing initiatives that build on the distinctive cultural features of each festival.
Liu et al. (Thu,) studied this question.