A historic temple hall on Miyajima Island was destroyed in a major fire this week — but monks managed to save a sacred flame believed to have been burning continuously for more than 1,200 years.
The fire broke out on the morning of May 20 at the Reikado Hall inside Daishoin Temple, one of Japan’s oldest and most historically important Buddhist temples.
Located along the hiking trail on Mount Misen, the temple is a famous destination visited by thousands of tourists and worshippers each year.
Emergency crews rushed to the scene after receiving reports that the temple hall was engulfed in flames.
Firefighters battled the blaze for around two hours before bringing it largely under control, although parts of the nearby forest were also affected.
The historic hall was completely destroyed in the fire.
Despite the devastating damage, monks at the temple managed to rescue the building’s most treasured object — the “eternal sacred flame” housed inside the hall.
The hall’s official name, “Kiezu no Reikado”, translates to “Hall of the Ever-Burning Sacred Flame”.
According to temple history, the flame has remained lit for over 1,200 years since the temple was founded in the year 806 by legendary Buddhist monk Kukai, also known as Kobo Daishi.
As flames spread through the building, a monk reportedly acted quickly to transfer the sacred fire to another safe area within the temple grounds, preserving the centuries-old flame.
Authorities confirmed no injuries were reported during the incident.
However, access to Mount Misen’s hiking trails and ropeway services were temporarily suspended as a safety precaution.
Investigators are still working to determine the exact cause of the fire.
This was not the first time the sacred hall has been destroyed.
The same building previously burned down in 2005, though the eternal flame was also successfully rescued during that incident before the hall was rebuilt in 2006.
Daishoin Temple’s chief priest, Masahiro Yoshida, said reconstruction efforts for the latest damaged hall are expected to take more than a year.
Miyajima Island is internationally famous for its iconic floating torii gate and centuries-old religious landmarks, making the fire a significant loss for Japan’s cultural heritage.
