On October 1, 2023, at Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine in Fushimi Ward, Kyoto City, the ''Senbon Toro'' festival will begin, in which the entire approach to the Senbon Torii gates will be lit up. A test lighting test was held the night before, September 30th, and the tunnel-like vermilion torii gates stood out in a fantastical manner.
Senbon Toro was held for the first time last year in conjunction with the ''Kosha Taisai,'' an event that attracts believers from all over the country. This year, approximately 350 Andon lamps will be lit over a distance of approximately 400 meters from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm until October 9th.
During the test lighting, the vermilion torii gate was illuminated with a soft light as the night progressed. Foreign tourists were eagerly taking photos and enjoying the colorful scenery, which was different from the daytime.
From 6pm on October 8th, there will be a Noh performance (free of charge, no reservations required, first-come, first-served basis) by Hisanori Kongo, head of the Kongo-ryu school, and there will also be dedicated Kyogen performances during the period.
