Donto Festival at Osaki Hachimangu

Osaki Hachimangu is a National Treasure shrine with Momoyama-period architecture built by Date Masamune and is Sendai's iconic shrine. Every year on January 14, the Pine-burning Festival (Donto Festival) features sacred fires burning New Year decorations and old amulets, and spectacular processions of bare-chested pilgrims parade from the city center to the shrine. It is a distinctive New Year tradition in Sendai that attracts approximately 100,000 visitors.