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The other day after posting “Daimonji: Kyoto's Least-Photogenic Festival”, Nicolas Joannin alerted me to the photos a friend of his took during last year's festival: Yaron Silberberg's Daimonji Fire Festival gallery

With Yaron's kind permission, I can share just how wrong I was in my first post's title...

Photo by Yaron Silberberg
Three Hours Before
at the top of the “大”

Photo by Yaron Silberberg
Preparation at a Fire Pit
one of about 77

Photo by Yaron Silberberg
Right “Leg” of the “大”
(“right” when viewed from the city)

Photo by Yaron Silberberg
Waiting

Photo by Yaron Silberberg
15 Minutes To Go

Photo by Yaron Silberberg
In the Thick of It

Photo by Yaron's friend?
I'm going to guess that this is
Yaron
looking quite cool, though it must be hellishly hot

Photo by Yaron Silberberg
Sweeping
view of northern Kyoto and some other shaped bonfires going on

These are just a few photos from Yaron's gallery... see the whole set for more. He also has a short video from the start of the burn.

The bonfire areas are open to the public most of the year (my blog photos from that area), but are understandably restricted on the day of the burn. Yaron's photos really make it come alive. If I ever get a chance to photograph the event from the same vantage point, I can only hope to get such great results. Thanks, Yaron!