Nara Mountain-Burning Festival Teams Up with Yokai Calligrapher Ouka

NARA, Dec 16 (News On Japan) - The poster for Wakakusa Yamayaki, a centuries-old winter tradition in the ancient capital of Nara, was unveiled on December 15th after being created in collaboration with yokai calligrapher Ouka, who lives in the prefecture and is known for works inspired by Japanese folklore.

Wakakusa Yamayaki, scheduled to take place on January 24th, is held to honor past generations and pray for world peace, and this year the event will introduce new paid viewing areas within the Wakakusa 36 Gate and on the rooftop of the Nara Park Bus Terminal as part of efforts to prevent overcrowding.

The poster was conceived as a way to boost awareness of the event, and Ouka’s calligraphy for the words “Wakakusa Yamayaki” is said to express both the intense flare of the burning hillside and the sweeping movement of the wind. The artist also created a character motif inspired by tsukumogami—spirits believed to inhabit tools that have aged over many years—drawing on the imagery of torches and flames used in the mountain-burning ritual.

Ouka explained that the work reflects the beauty of a winter tradition that prompts so many people to look up at the night sky over Nara, while also capturing the lively presence of the tsukumogami figure incorporated into the design. The posters will be displayed inside Kintetsu Railway cars in the lead-up to the event.

Source: 奈良テレビNEWS

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