A temple hall in Japan, famed for housing an “eternal flame” that has been burning for around 1,200 years, burned down on Wednesday (20 May) morning.
According to the Japan Times, police on Miyajima island received an alert at 8.30am of a fire at Daishoin temple.
Officials reported no injuries.
Source: @nhk_news on X
Clips online show the Reikado hall completely engulfed in flames and eventually reduced to cinders.
Firefighters took around two hours to bring the inferno under control. They reported that the fire had spread to an adjacent building, which also burned down, along with a couple of trees nearby.
Source: @nhk_news on X
The hall is famed for housing a sacred flame that has been maintained for 1,200 years. The fire is said to have been started by the Buddhist saint Kukai for a prayer. It was also used as a seed for the Flame of Peace in Hiroshima.
Authorities suspect the fire may have started because of the famed fire. Temple officials say they have relocated the “eternal flame”, and it is safe.
Since the start of 2026, there have been multiple fires reported at temples in Japan.
In February, at least three temples burned down in Ehime Prefecture and Yamaguchi Prefecture. Multiple people died in the fires.
In April, two more temples burned down in Toyama Prefecture and Mie Prefecture.
In a twist of irony, in May, a 300-year-old Shinto shrine dedicated to fire prevention in Niigata Prefecture burned down.
Most recently, a 573-year-old temple in Toyama Prefecture burned down on 16 May. It took firefighters almost nine hours to control the blaze.
Also read: 573-year-old temple in Japan goes up in flames, fire takes nearly 9 hours to extinguish
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Featured image adapted from @nhk_news on X.