On Matsuda mountain at 19:00 you can see a great view of soul fires that decorate Matsuda mountain.

You will see 108 fires that symbolize a historic event where farmers lit fires to help fleeing residents and staff from a local castle find their way to safety after losing a battle to invading forces.  108 also symbolizes the Buddhist belief that people are said to have 108 afflictions or “kleshas.”  In Buddhism, “kleshas” are mental states that cloud the mind and manifest in unwholesome actions. Kleshas include states of mind such as anxiety, fear, anger, jealousy, desire, depression, etc.  Thus, on New Year’s Eve, at Buddhist temples, the temple bell is rung 108 times to cleanse the soul of these “kleshas.”