Obon — Festival of welcoming the spirits of the ancestors
Obon (お盆) is an annual Buddhist event to honor the ancestors. It is believed that every year during Obon , the spirits of the ancestors return to this world to visit their relatives.
Traditionally, lanterns are hung in front of houses to guide the spirits of ancestors, obon (bon odori) dances are performed, graves are visited, and food offerings are made at home altars and temples. At the end of the Obon , floating lanterns are placed in rivers, lakes, and seas to guide the spirits back to their world. The customs that are followed vary greatly from one region to another.
Kamabutatsuitachi (釜蓋朔日) is held on August 1 when people go to the graves of their ancestors and begin preparations to welcome their spirits.
The Obon Festival is celebrated around the 15th day of the seventh month of the year, which is July according to the solar calendar; however, it corresponds roughly to August according to the lunar calendar used above. As a result, Obon is mainly celebrated from August 13 to 16 , although in some areas it is also celebrated in mid-July.
The origin of the word “Obon” comes from the Buddhist term “Urabone” (盂蘭盆会) which is an event for the spirits of ancestors and parents to save them from suffering. Japan is said to have started this event around 606 AD. C., then stayed after that and the word was shortened to “ Obon” .
There are some preparations before the Obon to receive the ancestors, for example, the Kamabutatsuitachi (釜蓋朔日) is held on August 1. People go to the graves of their ancestors and begin preparations to welcome their spirits. On the night of the 13th, small fires called Mukaebi (迎え火) are made to welcome the spirits.
