Traditional torch festival lights up night sky in northeastern Japan

Traditional torch festival lighted up night sky in northeastern Japan. Flames from torches illuminated the night sky of a city in northeastern Japan on Saturday during a traditional fire festival. The festival took place at Midorigaoka Park.

It is said to have originated more than 430 years ago to honor people who died defending Sukagawa Castle against Date Masamune during the Sengoku warring states period. Date was a feudal warlord in the region. A total of 22 torches were erected at Mount Gorozan in the park.

They included the Otaimatsu, which with its height of 10 meters is the biggest torch, and the about 7-meter-high Hontaimatsu. The torches were lit one by one at 6:30 P.M local time, sending sparks into the air with a cracking sound, and illuminating the sky in a mystical way.