Activities & Events Calendar

A typical spring scene that draws visitors from within and without Yamaguchi Prefecture is the periodic burning, or "yamayaki" (literally, "mountain burning") of the grasses at the Akiyoshi-dai Karst Plateau. Said to be the largest in Japan, this controlled burn will cover approximately 1,138 hectares of the karst in smoke and flames, and is a traditional practice that has been passed down since about 600 years ago. On the day of the burn, the fires will be lit at 9:30 in the morning, and smoke will rise as the flames gradually spread. The crackling of the spreading fire, the smell of the scorched earth, and the intensity of the sight of a pillar of flames is sure to be an experience for all five sense. The Special National Monument and Quasi-National Park of the Akiyoshi-dai Karst Plateau is as beautiful as it is precisely because of this controlled burn. When spring comes in earnest, fresh green sprouts from the blackened earth, and our beloved wild mountain grasses will grow again. Third and fourth photos provided:Yamaguchi Prefectural Tourism Federation