This is OBON season in Japan.
OBON is a Buddhist festival to honor one`s ancestors. Because the festival includes visiting and cleaning of ancestor`s gravesites, it has also become a family reunion time. In different areas of Japan OBON is celebrated at different times. Tokyo, Yokohama, and the Tohoku areas celebrate in July, but for other areas , the more common time is August.
OBON is a three day festival. It`s believed that family ancestor`s spirits come "home" during the three day celebretion.
OBON IRI is the first day....ancestors are welcomed into the home where the altar is maintained. The way of welcoming the spirits is different in defferent areas. The family might go to the gravesite with a CHOCHIN, a lamp, to guide the spirits home. Some areas burn small fires at the entrance to the home to welcome the spirits. The home will usually have an altar prepared for the ancestor`s spirits with offerings of food, fruit, and MANJU, a pastry made of rice flour with sweet red bean past inside. Lovely CHOCHIN are also set up to light the altar area. Here for three days the ancestor`s spirits are treated to food and prayers.
On the last day, usually late in the day or even after dark, the spirits are sent back to the gravesite, either on foot with a CHOCHIN to light the way or another small fire at the home entrance.
Although this is not a national holiday, many businesses close during the period or give their employees the days off.
Although I`m not a Buddhist, I think it`s lovely, and the heart of the festival is warm and loving.
