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Celebrating Obon: Japan's Festival of Souls
Obon is a lot more than a festival of lanterns, dancing, and food. It’s a cultural and religious event that connects millions of people to their roots. If you’re looking for a detailed guide on the culture and traditions of Obon, we’ve got your back. Read this post to learn, in simple terms, everything you need to know about the festival.
Introduction:
Obon, or simply Bon, is an annual Japanese festival that combines ancient and Buddhist beliefs about honoring one’s ancestors. During the event, the common belief is that ancestral spirits temporarily return to the realm of the living to visit their bloodline.
The Obon festival has become some kind of family reunion in recent years. Relatives return to their ancestral family homes for the three-day event. Together, they clean the graves of their ancestors. They also set up lanterns outside their homes to help guide the spirits and place food offerings on household altars.
If you spend enough time with Japanese people during Obon, you’ll likely witness the famous Bon Odori dance, which is part and parcel of the festival. On the last day of Obon, the family places floating lanterns on rivers.
The official date for celebrating Obon varies based on the different regions of Japan. That wasn’t always the case. The country's transition from the lunar calendar to the Gregorian calendar is what led to these discrepancies. There’s a lot to unpack when it comes to Obon. We’ll do all of that and more in the rest of this post.
Understanding Obon: Origins and Significance
The only way to truly understand Obon is to take a peek at what it means to the people of Japan. To do that, we need to return to where it all started: more than 500 years ago.
The Ghost Festival and the Taoist Zhongyuan Festival, respectively, were ancient Buddhist and Chinese festivals that served as inspiration for Obon. Like Obon, the Ghost Festival was held on day 15 of the 7th lunar month. The same can be said for the Taoist Zhongyuan Festival, which was held every July 15 on the lunar calendar. Several regions of Japan still use the same methods to determine a date for Obon.
Obon’s Buddhist-like traditions stem from the tale of Maha Maudgalyayana, who was one of the closest disciples of Buddha. One day, he used his spiritual powers to look at his deceased mother and was horrified to see her suffering in the Realm of Petra (Hungry Ghosts). Maudgalyayana rushed to Buddha for advice, and the latter told him to give offerings to Buddhist monks who had recently completed a retreat. On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, the disciple did as he was told and his mother’s spirit was released from suffering. Filled with joy, he danced happily. This dance would become the famed Bon Odori.
Today, the Obon Festival is a holiday that remembers and honors deceased ancestors. The belief is that these ancestors return to visit their relatives during the event. Although Obon Week is not considered an official public holiday, most businesses give leaves to all their workers.
When and Where: Timing and Regional Variations of Obon
We understand that it may be a little confusing trying to keep up with the different regional timing of the Bon Festival. Hence, we’ve created a brief guide that simplifies the variations as much as possible:
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Bon in July (Shichigatsu Bon): This is the Obon date popular in eastern Japan, namely the Kanto region. It’s based on the solar calendar, so Obon falls on July 15 every year. Shichigatsu Bon is the timing used in Tokyo, Yokohama, Kawasaki, Saitama, Chiba, and many other eastern cities.
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Bon in August (Hachigatsu Bon): This uses the lunar calendar to set the date for Obon. The festival takes place on August 15 each year and is celebrated in most cities outside the Kanto region. It is the most common time for the Obon festival.
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Old Bon (Kyu Bon): This was the original Obon start date throughout Japan. Today, it’s only recognized in the Okinawa prefecture, northern Kanto region, Chūgoku region, and Shikoku. Unlike the others, Kyu Bon does not use a specific month. The festival begins on the 15th day of the 7th month of the lunar calendar. This means that its date differs each year. On rare occasions, such as in 2008 and 2019, Kyu Bon and Hachigatsu Bon fall on the same day in August.
Obon Traditions: From Toro Nagashi to Bon Odori
The key traditions associated with Obon form the foundation of the entire event. They are also the festival’s most fascinating aspect.
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Mukaebi: Also known as “welcoming fire,” it’s the ritual of lighting and hanging chochin lanterns in front of homes to help guide the ancestral spirits.
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Toro Nagashi: To mark the end of the Obon festival, families gather to float candle-lit lanterns on the river. This “floating lantern” ceremony represents the return of the ancestors to the spirit realm. Water is a symbolic element in Japan because its traditional belief is that humans originated from water.
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Bon Odori: The Bon Odori dance has become a traditional folk art showcased all over Japan. It’s a religious dance used to both receive and send off spirits.
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Okuribi: Yet another way to send ancestral spirits to the other side; this is a traditional bonfire ceremony in Japan.
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Shōryō uma: Some families create a shōryō uma (spirit horse) with vegetables and wooden sticks. The creation helps the spirits on their way to the households.
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Kimono attire: The traditional attire for Obon is yukata, which is a casual and light kimono.
The Bon Odori Dance: A Closer Look
The Bon Odori is a traditional Japanese dance style that’s closely linked with the Obon Festival. The dance is used to welcome spirits when they arrive at a household. It’s also used to send them off to the spirit world without issues. There are many versions of Bon Odori’s origins. However, the most popular one is from the story of Maha Maudgalyayana. It’s said that modern Bon Odori is a variation of the disciple’s dance in honor of his mother’s freed spirit.
The Japanese taiko drums are played in the background as part of the typical Bon dance tradition at many summer festivals in Japan. The emphatic, rhythmic, and lively movements always make a Bon Odori performance an absolute spectacle, no matter the event. Different regions in Japan have their own style of Bon Odori. Overall, the variations are in the hundreds. However, the three main Odori styles are Gujo Odori of the Gifu prefecture, Awa Odori of the Tokushima prefecture, and Nishimonai Bon Odori of the Akita prefecture.
Spiritual Practices: Visits to Temples and Shrines
In the midst of all the festivities, there is an intensely spiritual side to Obon. You can see it right from the first day of the festival. Families gather at the graves of their ancestors, holding chochin lanterns. They call out to the spirits, asking them to visit their households. The families also clean the graves and offer prayers and food at the temple or shrine. Those offerings help the spirits reach the household easily and serve as a way to welcome them after their long absence.
Festival Foods: Culinary Traditions of Obon
Obon celebrations give you a chance to sink your teeth into traditional foods prepared and eaten during the event. The most popular of these foods fall under the fried foods category (the “yakis”). They include taiyaki, takoyaki, okonomiyaki, and yakisoba. Those are all foods that you can easily find in a local food stall (or yatai). They’re closely associated with the festival, not just because of their tastes but also because of their symbolic meaning. For example, takoyaki symbolizes family unity and okonomiyaki represents community. Those are core values of the festival.
Some of the other delights eaten during the festival offer a Western twist to the traditional event. Jaga bata, ramune, shaved ice, and dango are only a few of these treats. You can find them at festival venues. The local specialty dishes also differ by location. Different regions use local ingredients to make foods like sushi and special vegetable dishes.
Obon Festivities Across Japan
The high level of diversity in Japan means that each region has its own way of celebrating Obon. From their dance style to their songs, they offer a unique Obon experience. Local customs also differ. However, the regional Bon dance style remains the easiest way to identify diversity in Obon festivals. Regions like Gifu, Hokkai, and Tokushima have their own versions of the dance and the music that coordinates it. The events and attractions during Obon provide more ways to bring some identity to the festival. For instance, the process and venue of toro nagashi or floating lanterns, may differ based on region. The Obon festival celebrated by certain regions involves floating the lanterns on a river, while others use the sea.
How Obon Influences Modern Japanese Society
Obon Week is one of the top three holidays in Japan. It shares that accolade with the New Year and Golden Week. The fact that it functions as a family reunion event has helped to bridge different generations of Japanese people. The older folks use this opportunity to pass down traditional arts and community values to the younger generation, leading to healthy cultural continuity. The festival also serves as a retreat for people looking to reconnect with their traditional roots or learn about their ancestors.
Japanese communities overseas are not left out of Obon’s influence. Despite being miles away from home, several of these communities practice their own versions of Obon. The result is that they often inadvertently act as international ambassadors of Japanese traditions and culture.
Obon in Popular Culture
Like most key aspects of Japanese culture, Obon is represented in Japanese films, literature, and media. In movies, Obon is often depicted as a highly emotional occasion. In the midst of sadness, it sheds light on the hearts of the characters’ dark times. Two movies that showcase this concept are Nagasaki: Memories of My Son (2015) and A Song from Home (2018).
The manga industry is arguably the biggest exhibitor of Obon to the global audience. People who have never been to Japan can get details about the festival just by reading manga. Common examples of manga with detailed Obon depictions are Barakamon, Komi Can’t Communicate (volume 14), and The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.
Conclusion:
In any culture, people often have positive opinions about honoring their ancestors. Hence, the Obon Festival will appeal to most people, irrespective of their background. Obon is arguably the most important cultural and familial event in Japan. It serves as a bridge between generations of people and connects people to their ancestral roots. Visit Japan during Obon season to experience this profound Japanese tradition firsthand.
We understand that there’s nothing more important than family. That’s why we offer only the most authentic and thoughtful gifts at Bokksu Boutique. Feel free to explore our vast collection and pick out the best gift items for the special people in your life.
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