Far from the tourist circuit of the province of Seville, Coria del Rio manages to grab all eyes at the zenith of the month of August in the light of the ceremony of the Nagashi Bull. This Japanese tradition to watch over the souls and wish for peace in the world, displays its untamed beauty on August 15.
An event that continues to bring the Sevillian town closer to the Japanese country, which arrived there in 1614 as part of the expedition of the Keicho embassy.
In 2017 Coria celebrated this tradition for the first time and since then it has added visitors and curious people from all parts of the province. It is not surprising the number of visitors who make the pilgrimage to the Sevillian town, eager to immerse themselves in this experience, since the Toro Nagashi outside Japan only takes place in Coria del Río.
Such was the success of the last editions that in 2019 the promenade received more than 3,000 people and last 2022, after the two years of pandemic without this ceremony, agglutinated 8,000 visitors.
What does Toro Nagashi consist of?
Toro Nagashi literally means “flowing lanterns” and is a rite held on the last night of the O-bon festival. A tribute to the ancestors, to those who have passed away, which consists of throwing paper lanterns into the water.
These symbolize the souls of those who died last year and water, for its part, is linked in Japan to the origin of the human being. Therefore, connecting spirit and roots means to reconnect with life and offer peace to their souls.
The origins of this rite date back to August 1949 in commemoration of those who perished in the war, among other reasons, due to the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Event schedule and details
The event recovers this year all its splendor and will take place at Paseo Carlos de Mesa at 8:30 pm, in front of the Yashiro en Orilla, known as “temple of souls”, on the banks of the Guadalquivir. The environment will be decorated for the occasion and will wear oriental details and there will be various stands and stalls of Japanese food. The delivery of lanterns to those who wish to participate will take place there.
The waters near Coria will be filled with these biodegradable floating lanterns to offer rest to the souls and to maintain the close and unique relationship that unites Japan with the Sevillian municipality.
This Friday, August 15, the ceremony of the Nagashi Bull 2025 will begin at 20:30 hours at Paseo Carlos de Mesa, next to the Yashiro monument in Orilla (also known as the Temple of Souls).
From there, people will move to the bank of the Guadalquivir to deposit the floating lanterns that will fill the river with light. These lamps, which can be purchased on site for a symbolic price of 3 € or in advance at the Papelería Santa María and the bar L’Kiosko, will be the protagonists of an act full of beauty and symbolism.
Around the Nagashi Bull, Coria includes a whole program of activities in parallel. Taiko drum performances, street theater, shops scattered around the area specializing in oriental culture, photocalls or workshops and games.
Also, given the popularity of this festival in the province, the City Council of Coria del Rio has enabled three free parking areas, signposted from the access to the town. Namely: Blas Infante Avenue, Pisuerga Street and Batán Street.