Event in Kansai - Augusut

One of the big Japanese holiday celebrations, called "Obon (Ura-bon-e)", is coming soon. During this period many people gather in their home towns so it may hard to book flights or shinkansen tickets during this period.

Obon is an annual Buddhist event to commemorate one's ancestors. People believed that during the obon period (typically starting around the 13th to 15th August but it's depend on the region.) their ancestors' spirits revisit their relatives. Chochin (lanterns) are hung or fires are lit (mukaebi) in front of houses to guide the ansestors' spirits home and at the end of Obon, floating lanterns are put into rivers or an okuribi fire is lit to see off the souls of the ancestors. So you'll see many events using fire in Japan in this time of the year.


Nara - Toukae (Aug 5 - 14, from 7:00pm to 9:45 pm)
http://www.toukae.jp/

Nara - Daimonji okuribi (Aug 15, from 6:50 pm)
http://narashikanko.or.jp/event/index.php?m=d&id=97


Kyoto - Gozan okuribi　(Aug 16, from 8:00 pm)
http://kyoto-design.jp/special/obon
http://www.gozan-okuribi.com/

Osaka - Shitennoji
Kagarino maigaku, entrance fee 1,000 yen (Aug 4, starts from 7:00 pm)
http://www.osaka-info.jp/jp/search/detail/event_38.html

Mando kuyo (Aug 9 - 16 from evenig to 9:00 pm) 
http://www.osaka-info.jp/jp/search/detail/event_42.html