When: Late Summer (Obon season) Dates: 14 August City: Ogata, Bungo-ono Description: The Kodaihi Matsuri is a local farming-related festival held every year at Obon, the holiday during which people honour their ancestors. The festival takes place in Ogata, in Bungo-ono, and a similar festival also takes place in the Miyagi district of Taketa. Anywhere from 10,000 - 13,000 torches are lit and set up on the Ogata plains, with the illuminations starting from around 7:30 in the evening.
The origins of the festival date back to 1753, when the local area suffered bad harvests due to crop damage from bugs. This led to increasingly harsh land tax collections, prompting some of the local farmers to start an uprising. The leader of the revolts, Okunojo Harajiri, was executed in 1759.
The Ogata Kodaihi Matsuri is said to be held both to remember Okunojo Harajiri and to repel bugs in order to ensure a bountiful harvest.