Obon (お盆) or simply (Bon) is an annual Buddhist event to commemorate ancestors. It is a Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the spirits of deceased ancestors. According to Buddhist customs, family members gather in their hometowns during the Obon holiday, visiting and cleaning their graves. The belief is that the spirits of ancestors return to their homes during the Obon holidays to be reunited with their relatives. This custom has been celebrated in Japan for over 500 years, and one of the traditional activities is the dance known as Bon Odori.
Lanterns are hung in front of homes to guide the spirits of ancestors, and at the end of Obon, floating lanterns are placed in rivers, lakes, and seas to guide the spirits back to their own world. Customs vary greatly from region to region.
The Obon Festival lasts about three days, but the start date can vary by region. Although Obon is called a HOLIDAY, it is not an official holiday, meaning many establishments remain open as usual. In Japan, all national holidays are marked in red on calendars, as are long weekends, such as the end-of-year holiday (Golden Week). During Obon, it is not marked in red because each region has different dates.
But, according to tradition, most people usually take time off on these dates to visit family. During the second and third days of Obon, families who follow tradition will invite a Buddhist priest to their home (or visit a temple or shrine).
When the lunar calendar was changed to the Gregorian calendar at the beginning of the Meiji era, localities in Japan responded differently, resulting in three distinct Obon festivals. Shichigatsu Bon (July Bon) is based on the solar calendar and is celebrated around July 15th in eastern Japan (Kanto regions such as Tokyo, Yokohama, and Tohoku). Hachigatsu Bon (August Bon), based on the lunar calendar, is celebrated around August 15th and is the most widely celebrated.
Obon Traditions
Before the holiday begins, Japanese people clean their homes and place a variety of food offerings, such as vegetables and fruits, for the spirits of their ancestors in front of a Buddhist altar.
- Primeiro dia de Obon, lanternas chochin (feita de papel) são acesas dentro das casas, e as pessoas levam as lanternas para os túmulos de sua família para chamar os espíritos de seus ancestrais de volta para casa.
- Segundo dia, dia do folclore, que é o dia da dança Bom Odori. Os estilos de dança variam de região para região, acompanhado pelos tambores de Taiko japoneses. A dança do Obon é em parques ou santuários, vestindo quimono de verão, onde os dançarinos se apresentam ao redor de um palco YAGURA. Qualquer pessoa pode participar da dança.
- Terceiro dia, as lanternas são colocadas no rio que corre para o oceano, para guiar os espíritos a volta ao mundo deles.