Obon / Obon festival

Obon / Obon festival

Obon is a traditional Japanese event to welcome the sprits of ancestors. It’s a bit like Halloween.

Obon is observed from August 13th to August 15th or 16th.

People usually get a few days of vacation during the Obon period.

During the Obon festival, people go back to their hometowns and visit their family graves.

We visit our family graves, clean the tombstones, and leave flowers.

"Bon Chochin" : Bon Festival lantern
In other cases, special Chochin called Bon Chochin (Bon Festival Lantern) are displayed in front of the Buddhist altar.

Faux cucumber horses and eggplant cows are the transportation for the ancestors. The horse represents a quick arrival, the cow represents a slow departure.

"Toro Nagashi": Spirit Boat Procession

This event is called "Toro Nagashi" (floating lanterns carrying the spirits of the dead) depending on localities. To means light, ro means basket.

"Bon Odori" : Bon Odori is a style of dancing performed during Obon.

It was originally designed to calm the ancestors’ spirits.

People gather at parks, shrines or temples and dance with music.

Most of them are wearing "Yukata". Yukata is a light Kimono worn in summer.

There are a lot of food stalls.

Yukata