Kirk here reporting that the annual “hifuri shinji” (火振り神事) was held in Aso recently (Sunday). The following web page has a good English-language explanation about the ritual:
https://explore-kumamoto.com/hifuri-shinji-festival/
A YouTube video of RKK’s recent report (including a comment by a member of Kumamoto’s English-speaking non-Japanese community) can be viewed here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-K7Ak0cyuFA
Here’s the text of the RKK news article:
https://rkk.jp/news/backno_page.php?id=NS003202203211157330111
This year, ordinary people weren’t allowed to swing the flaming bales aroundaround becauase of COVID-19 concerns.
