京都の夏の伝統行事「五山送り火」が行われる

Welcome to Japanese Daily News. I'm Maya. Today is August seventeenth. Last night, giant fires glowed on the mountains of Kyoto — a summer tradition with a beautiful meaning. Let's listen.

Now let's break it down, sentence by sentence.

On the night of August sixteenth, a traditional summer event was held in Kyoto: the send-off fires on five mountains.

It means an event or ceremony — usually a traditional one that happens every year.

In Japan, people believe that during the mid-August holiday, family members who have passed away — their ancestors — come back home.

It means ancestors — family members from long ago, said in a respectful way.

The send-off fires are fires for quietly sending those ancestors off again, after their visit home.

It means to send, or to see someone off.

At eight at night, first, a fire in the shape of the character meaning big was lit on the eastern mountain. This fire is the most famous of the five.

It means to light something, like a fire or a lamp.

The fires went out slowly, after about thirty minutes. In Kyoto, people say that when the send-off fires end, summer slowly comes to a close.

It means to go out, or to disappear.

Let's listen to the whole story one more time.

Time for a short quiz. Listen and try to answer.

In Kyoto — big fires were lit on five mountains around the city.

At eight in the evening. The famous character meaning big was lit first, on the eastern mountain.

They are fires for sending off the spirits of ancestors, who people believe come back home in the middle of August.

That's all for today. Once a year, the mountains of Kyoto light up to say goodbye — to the ancestors, and slowly, to summer itself. See you next time on Japanese Daily News.