Tonight in Kurama (Kyoto): the fire festival, a strange autumn festival

C’est la fête annuelle du sanctuaire Yuki, célébrée chaque 22 octobre.

Être in the present is est for a singular subject and sont for a plural one. It describes nature, state or place (“is”, “is located”). If what follows (the attribute) is a noun, adjective or prepositional phrase, it is not a passive. If a past participle follows, it is a passive (est annoncé). Headlines and summaries often use the present to describe the current situation.

Vers 18 h, au signal « Shinji ni mairasshare », les foyers dressés devant chaque maison sont allumés en même temps.

The passive means “is done” or “is being done”. It is formed with être + past participle, which agrees with the subject in gender and number (la mesure est adoptée / les mesures sont adoptées). The agent is introduced by par (or de). In the news it is common when the event, rather than the actor, is the focus (est prévu / est annoncé / est connu).

Après des enfants portant de petites torches, de jeunes hommes portent de grandes torches en criant « Sairei, sairyo » et parcourent le village.

The gerund means “while doing”, “by doing” or “when doing”. Its form is en + present participle (-ant). Take the nous form of the present, drop -ons and add -ant (faire → faisant). The subject is normally that of the main clause. It shows things happening at the same time, or the means.

Le jour même, dès 15 h, la circulation des véhicules ordinaires est interdite entre Kibuneguchi et Kurama Onsen, et tous les parkings sont fermés : utilisez les transports en commun.

The imperative expresses commands, requests and advice. It has no subject: the sentence starts with the verb (Consultez les informations.). The vous form ends in -ez, nous in -ons (Restons prudents.), and tu in -e for -er verbs (Consulte). It is very common in notices and warnings (Vérifiez, Consultez, Restez informé).

Puis les jeunes se rassemblent devant la porte du sanctuaire et deux mikoshi descendent l’escalier de pierre, éclairés par les flammes : c’est le moment fort.

A pronominal verb is used with a reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nous, vous) before the verb. It can mean “do to oneself”, “be done” or “do to each other”. In the news, se traduire (to result in), se tenir (to take place), s’agir de (to be a matter of) and se diffuser (to spread) are frequent. The pronoun changes with the subject (il se tient / ils se tiennent / je me souviens).

Les horaires et restrictions peuvent varier un peu d’une année à l’autre.

Put a base-form verb after pouvoir. Peut means “can” or “may”; the conditional pourrait gives a more reserved possibility, “might”. It does not necessarily mean implementation is settled.

Le jour même, dès 15 h, la circulation des véhicules ordinaires est interdite entre Kibuneguchi et Kurama Onsen, et tous les parkings sont fermés : utilisez les transports en commun.

Dès means “as early as” or “as soon as”, and à partir de means “from … onwards”. Depuis basically shows a state or period continuing from a point in time. All deal with a start, but they are not used the same way.

De 18 h à minuit passé, des flammes s’élèvent dans tout le village.

Dans means “in, inside” for places, but also for a scope such as a system or period. With future time, dans deux jours means “in two days”. In the article’s example, check what it is “inside” and which scope it marks. Identify the value of dans in the passage.

Son origine, son déroulement et les conseils pour y aller.

Et joins not only words but also groups of nouns and whole clauses. Spot the two elements playing the same role to break up a long sentence. Et does not necessarily express cause and effect.

Le jeudi 22 octobre au soir a lieu à Kurama, près de Kyoto, la fête du feu.

Le is masculine singular, la feminine singular and les plural. Before a vowel or a silent h, singular le and la become l’. The definite article points to something already known or a general concept, so look at the context.

「篝（かがり）」は、火をたくための台や、そこで燃やす火のことです。

ため is used for both reason and purpose. “成立ではないため” is a reason and “運転手を守るため” a purpose. Decide from the whole sentence whether what precedes is a cause or a goal.

村人たちは、土地の神様である八所明神を神輿に乗せ、たくさんの松明をかざして、神様を迎えました。

In “発表しました”, ました makes a verb polite past. The negative is “ませんでした”. Read the actual date together with the date and time in the text.

この故事が、今の祭りの元になったと伝えられています。

と takes the content that is reported or explained. In “改定する方針だと報じました”, “改定する方針だ” is what the report said. Separating the content from who said it and how makes long sentences easier to read.

940年に、御所でまつられていた由岐大明神を、鞍馬に迎えたときのことが由来です。

“〜すること” treats an action or content like a noun. The particle after it (が・を・は…) shows its role in the sentence. “ことができる” is a fixed combination meaning “can”.

小さな松明を持った子どもたちに続いて、青年たちが大きな松明をかつぎ、「サイレイ、サイリョウ」とかけ声をかけながら、集落を練り歩きます。

The て-form links actions in a series, in order or as a reason. In “確認して、出発する” the relation is judged from the content. In “〜ている” it can show an action in progress or a continuing state.

10月22日（木）の夜、京都の鞍馬で「鞍馬の火祭」が行われます。

A explains noun B that follows. It is not only possession: the relation can be belonging, target, content and more. In “政府の案” and “年金の税控除”, read the relation from the context.