Flamebearer

Photographer

Takashi Iwasaki

Category

People Photography - Religious

Company

会社員

Submission Group

Amateur

Year

2025

Country / Region:

Japan

During a sacred coastal ritual, a man embodying Sarutahiko—the guiding deity and guardian of safe passage—crosses through roaring fire in a red robe and a Tengu mask. This ceremony is an ancient prayer for safety at sea and abundant catches. As drums and flutes thunder around him, the flames rise like living waves, and each step becomes an offering to the ocean and to those who depend on it. The mask, the staff, the flying robe and the burning ground transform belief into movement. This image is a tribute to the people who continue this rite — a living link between danger, faith and the sea they protect.