HIROSHIMA PREFECTURE, Japan — A devastating fire swept through the historic Daisho-in Temple on Miyajima Island on the morning of Wednesday, May 20, 2026, destroying the revered Reikado Hall.

Emergency services received a call regarding the blaze at approximately 8:30 a.m. local time. By the time the fire was brought under control around 10:30 a.m., the hall—along with a nearby hut—had been reduced to ash, with flames having briefly spread to the surrounding woodland on Mount Misen. Fortunately, authorities have confirmed that there were no injuries resulting from the incident.

The Reikado Hall was world-renowned as the home of the "Kiezu-no-hi," or "Eternal Flame". According to temple tradition, the flame was first lit in 806 by the Buddhist monk Kobo Daishi (Kukai) to perform a goma prayer and had burned continuously for nearly 1,200 years.

The flame holds deep symbolic and historical significance, serving as a seed fire for the "Flame of Peace" at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, which commemorates the victims of the 1945 atomic bombing. Temple officials reported that, in a near-miraculous effort, they were able to salvage the sacred flame and relocate it to a safe site before the Reikado structure collapsed.

Police and fire authorities are currently investigating the cause of the blaze. Preliminary assessments suggest that the fire may have been inadvertently ignited by the sacred flame itself.

This is not the first time the Reikado Hall has faced such a tragedy; the structure was previously destroyed by fire in 2005, only to be rebuilt the following year. The recent incident occurs amidst a concerning series of fires at religious sites across Japan throughout the first half of 2026, raising broader concerns about the preservation of the country’s cultural heritage.

Temple administrators have stated that while the hall was lost, they are committed to rebuilding the structure to house the preserved eternal flame once again.