Kyoto’s Gozan no Okuribi, as locals see it

This is one of Kyoto’s Gozan no Okuribi bonfires, visible from near my home.

A lot of people who are not familiar with the tradition probably see it as a sightseeing event, but for local residents it is really part of Obon, a deeply meaningful ritual for sending off the spirits of our ancestors. That is why it was still carried out even when COVID wiped out tourism. It was never something done just for the crowds.