Hiwatari Matsuri, Takao-san

Hiwatari Matsuri, or the fire walking ceremony, is held annually in March at Takao-san, a peak in the Tokyo prefecture. 

Buddhist monks host the event to pray for world peace and good health. The practicing monks walk on hot coals, while the general public lines up to cross dirt paths between the embers. The practice is believed to protect an individual from illness.