Kasama Himatsuri — Night Fire Climbing Kiln

The Kasama Himatsuri (Fire Festival) is an annual late-April event when the historic 11-chamber Nikko-gama climbing kiln is loaded with 10,000 pottery pieces and fired continuously for 14 hours. The kiln, built into a hillside, uses pinewood fuel to reach 1,200–1,300°C; flames roar through interconnected chambers, and stokers feed logs into fireboxes every 15 minutes throughout the night. The firing is both functional (producing glazed pottery for sale) and ceremonial — a celebration of craft, fire, and tradition.

Visitors can watch the entire process from kiln loading (3 days before the festival) to the final firing (nighttime event, 6:00pm–8:00am). The spectacle peaks after dark when flames burst from chimney stacks and the kiln glows orange against the night. The surrounding hillside becomes a festival ground with food stalls, pottery sales, live music, and workshops. The event culminates 3 days after firing when the kiln is opened and finished pieces are sold at festival prices.