Saya Sairo!

Sorry for the blip gap, heart wasn't in it yesterday but we've made up for it today!

Early start and off to the Jidai Matsuri in Kyoto which is a sort of a procession of the ages, starting off with more recent Japanese costumes and dances and going further back in history as the march continues. Ruby got some great shots! Then a dash to Kurama for the yearly Kurama Matsuri festival held in the mountains of nothern Kyoto.
It's an ancient tradition, meant to guide the spirits of hell by the light of the fire. Fires are lit at sunset in front of all neighborhood houses. Then from each family a procession of children carrying giant flaming torches walk through the streets shouting "Saya Sairo!" which roughly translates as "hup hup keep going!". After that the men of the village do the same but with 5 to 6-meter pine torches (weighing 80kg). After these torches are placed, there is a ceremony at the Kurama temple, culminating in two portable shrines carried through the streets and up into the mountains.
This was by far my favorite event so far and it was a delight and and honour to be there.
There were a few hairy moments when I was certain either I, Ruby or a small child was going to be engulfed by flame but thankfully we escaped unscathed, if a bit smoky.