A 1657 fire in Tokyo claimed 100,000 lives after a monk burned a cursed kimono
A 1657 disaster in Edo, modern-day Tokyo, began with a ritual to burn a 'cursed' kimono and ended with the destruction of nearly seventy percent of the world's most populous city.
The Great Fire of Meireki began on March 2, 1657, allegedly when a priest attempted to burn a kimono believed to bring misfortune to its owners. High winds carried the sparks, igniting the wooden structures of Edo.
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