Fire Engulfs 1,200-Year-Old Japanese 'Sacred Fire' Temple Hall

A powerful blaze destroyed the Reikado Hall at Daishoin Temple on Miyajima Island in western Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan, on Wednesday, 20 May 2026. The historic building is known as the repository of the sacred fire, believed to have burned for more than 1,200 years. According to the Miyajima Tourism Association, the fire was first lit by a Buddhist monk in 806 and became a spiritual symbol used to ignite the eternal flame at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, which commemorates the victims of the 1945 atomic bombing. Local firefighters suspect the blaze originated from the sacred fire. Although the temple hall burned, local media reported that the sacred flame was saved and moved to a safe location. There have been no reports of casualties, and authorities are continuing investigations into the precise cause of the fire that struck the historic temple complex. Daishoin Temple is one of the well-known religious sites on Miyajima and a cultural tourism destination in Japan. The destruction of the Reikado Hall has drawn public attention due to the historical and spiritual significance attached to the unextinguished flame.