“Sankuro – 三九郎“ is a ceremony used to be held on the 15th of January, called New Year’s bonfire.
For recent years instead of the 15th, the ceremony has been held on the  “coming – of- age ceremony” day.

Each neighborhood association around Matsumoto makes their own Sankuro ( big torch made of New Year’s decorations) at the river sides or fallow fields, set the fire and soon while children cook small mochi (rice cake)  on the willow branches besides the fire.  People in this region believe that by eating these small mochi cooked by the bonfire, they will be free from sickness until next year’s bonfire.

Japanese people believe that New Year’s decorations and ornaments are holy and carry sacred spirits.  Therefore they can’t just throw these ornaments away as a garbage after the New Year days.
This bonfire has been a solution to not waste these holy  decorations after use.  However, the decreasing number of children population in Japan as well as the concerning of  global warming,  these bonfire sites has been decreasing each year.

Sankuro ceremony will not just disappear right away, but it surely will be one of precious experience in Japan in the future.