The Nachi-no-Ogi Fire Festival, held annually at Kumano Nachi Taisha Grand Shrine in Wakayama Prefecture, is one of Japan's most mesmerizing Shinto rituals. This ancient celebration features twelve massive, flaming torches carried down a steep path to the sacred Nachi Waterfall, symbolizing the purification of the route taken by the shrine's deities. As one of Japan's three major fire festivals, it highlights the enduring bond between the natural and spiritual worlds.