Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Words Kanji Guides About

どんど焼やき

ど

ん

ど

や

き

Meanings

1

noun

burning of New Year's decorations; Dondoyaki festival

A traditional event held around January 15th where New Year's gate decorations (shimekazari, kadomatsu) and old talismans are burned to send off the toshigami (year god) and pray for good health and fortune. Also called 左義長 (sagichō) in some regions.

See also: どんど

毎まい年とし1月がつ15日にちに近きん所じょの神じん社じゃでどんど焼やきが行おこなわれる。
Every year on January 15th, the Dondoyaki festival is held at the local shrine.
どんど焼やきで正しょう月がつ飾かざりを燃もやして、無む病びょう息そく災さいを祈いのります。
We burn New Year's decorations at the Dondoyaki and pray for good health.

Written forms

どんど焼やきUsage94%
Standard kanji-kana spelling for this traditional event.
どんどやきUsage6%
どんど焼やき
Variant spelling omitting the okurigana; less common but still seen.

Kanji

焼bake, burning

Similar words

左さ義ぎ長ちょう
Another name for the same event, more common in certain regions or historical contexts. どんど焼き is the more widely used term in everyday speech.

Etymology

The name likely derives from the onomatopoeic sound of the fire crackling (どんど) combined with 焼き (yaki, 'burning'). The exact origin is uncertain, but it is a folk tradition with regional variations.