January 8, at Torigoe Shrine in Taito Ward, Tokyo.
From early morning, people arrive one after another, carrying New Year decorations such as straw ropes and pine ornaments. In the cold winter air, there is a quiet sense of anticipation.
In front of a large pile of New Year decorations prepared in the shrine grounds, Shinto priests recite prayers and strike flints to light the fire. The flames quickly rise, crackling loudly, and now and then the sharp “dondon” sound of bamboo bursting can be heard. Against the clear winter sky, the scene is striking.
Around the blazing fire, children walk in a circle, chanting “Tondoya, Tondo” while tapping the ground with green bamboo poles. In an instant, the shrine comes alive with sound and movement.
This is Tondo-yaki, a New Year fire ritual that still survives in downtown Tokyo.
Tondo-yaki at Torigoe Shrine
Torigoe Shrine is said to have been founded in the Heian period. During the Edo period, it became especially known as a place where people prayed for protection from disease. The Tondo-yaki held here is an important ritual to send off the gods of the New Year, who were welcomed into people’s homes during the holiday season, with gratitude.
Sacred ropes, pine decorations, hamaya (decorative arrows believed to
ward off evil), and talismans used during the New Year are brought to the shrine and ceremonially burned as part of the ritual. It is believed that warming oneself by the flames and breathing in the rising smoke brings good health for the coming year.
The main stars of this event are the children. Their chanting of “Tondoya, Tondo” may be shy and quiet, but their slightly embarrassed smiles as they circle the fire are charming. Pieces of kakizome—a traditional New Year custom in which people write characters with a brush—are also included in the ritual fire. When the paper rises high into the air, people say it means the writer’s skill will improve.
Nearby, people roast rice cakes attached to the ends of bamboo poles. Eating these fire-roasted rice cakes is believed to bring good health. Children go first, followed by adults, all forming a line with bamboo poles in hand.
Anyone can take part, and this includes foreign visitors. On this day, some tourists who had come just to watch were gently encouraged by a priest with a look that seemed to say, “Why not?” Curious and smiling, they joined the ritual.
At the end of the event, sweets are handed out to children. The shrine grounds, filled with families, feel like a warm and familiar community space—something that has not changed with time.
A Fire Exceptionally Allowed Since Edo
Because fires were a constant danger in Edo, events involving open flames were once strictly limited. Tondo-yaki at Torigoe Shrine, however, was exceptionally permitted, and this tradition is said to have continued without interruption.
Fire prevention remains just as important today. The ritual is conducted under the supervision of the fire department, and before it begins, large amounts of water are poured over nearby trees and buildings as a safety measure.
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| Because the wind was strong that day, large amounts of water were carefully poured over the surrounding area for safety. |
Modern concerns also include environmental impact. To prevent harmful substances such as dioxins, plastic and metal are carefully removed, and only materials that can be safely burned are allowed into the fire.
Balancing tradition with modern responsibilities, Tondo-yaki continues to be practiced today.
What Is Dondo-yaki? A New Year Ritual Across Japan
Tondo-yaki—also called Dondo-yaki—is not unique to Torigoe Shrine. It is a ritual held across Japan to mark the end of the New Year season.
In the Tokyo area, it is often called Dondo-yaki or Tondo-yaki. In western Japan, Tondo-yaki is more common, and in older times, it was also known as Sagichō.
During the New Year, homes are decorated
with pine arrangements, straw ropes, and rice cakes. These decorations are believed to guide the New Year’s deity to the house.
Rather than simply throwing them away, the decorations are burned in a ritual to properly end their role. The deity who visited during the New Year is not discarded as trash, but respectfully sent back to the heavens with the rising smoke. That is the essence of this ritual.
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| Reception area for New Year decorations. A box is provided for people to place a small fee for the ritual burning. |
The timing varies by region, but many places hold Dondo-yaki around January 15, known as Little New Year. In Tokyo, decorations are often taken down by January 7, making Torigoe Shrine’s ceremony one of the earliest.
The Japanese Practice of Ritual Burning
Burning important items in a proper ritual reflects a uniquely Japanese idea known as otakiage.
In Japan, it has long been believed that spirits can dwell not only in nature, but also in everyday objects. For that reason, items that have fulfilled their purpose are sent off with gratitude, carried upward by smoke.
This practice is seen not only at Shinto shrines, but also at Buddhist temples.
Across cultures, there is a shared understanding that sacred objects should be disposed of in a proper and respectful way. In Japan, however—since almost everything around us is thought to possess some kind of spirit—the range of such objects becomes very wide (to put it jokingly, almost everything in the house is sacred).
Not only religious items, but dolls, kitchen knives, sewing needles, letters, and other everyday objects may be ritually honored. The shoe memorial service at Tamahime Shrine, introduced previously, is one such example.
A Hidden Leather Market Near Asakusa: The “Kutsu no Megumi Festival” at Tamahime Inari Shrin
Recently, even ceremonies for “burning” digital data have appeared (how exactly that works is another question!), showing that this tradition continues to adapt to modern life.
Sending Off the New Year, Stepping Into the Next
As the New Year holidays end and daily life resumes, the sight of decorations being consumed by fire at Tondo-yaki spreads a shared feeling: the new year has truly begun.
When the flames die down and calm returns to the shrine grounds, people seem to finally step onto the starting line of the year ahead.
This fire that sends off the New Year is more than a simple act of purification. It symbolizes a long-held respect for unseen things, and a deep sense of gratitude—values that lie at the heart of Japanese culture.
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