On the night of August 16, 2026, the "Yoshihara no Mandoro" (Yoshihara Myriad Lanterns) fire festival—a registered Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Kyoto Prefecture—took place at the mouth of the Isazu River in Maizuru City, Kyoto Prefecture. Local young men vigorously spun a massive lantern structure on the water, praying for bountiful catches and safety at sea.
Legend has it that the tradition began during the Edo period to appease the wrath of the sea god after a massive outbreak of jellyfish made fishing impossible. The *Mandoro* structure is shaped like a fish, standing approximately 16 meters tall with a maximum width of about 3.5 meters, and is constructed from bamboo and rope.
Around 8:00 p.m., about 50 people—including members of the preservation society (comprising natives of the Higashi-Yoshihara and Nishi-Yoshihara districts) and other volunteers—entered the river. They lit the lantern using sacred fire obtained from Enryu-ji Temple (in the Hikitsuchi area of Maizuru) and carefully raised it upright. As the young men spun the structure—sending sparks flying amidst chants of "Wasshoi, wasshoi"—onlookers on the riverbank erupted in cheers and applause.
