Obon is an annual festival observed in mid-August and it is one of the 3 major holidays along with New year and Golden week in Japan.
It is a Buddhist event for commemorating the ancestors. People believe that every year during obon, the ancestors’ spirits return to this world to visit their relatives.
So that, most of the people go back to their parent’s home, hang lanterns in front of their houses to guide the ancestors’ spirits, visit the graves and make food offerings at house altars and temples. Lots of bon dance (bon odori) festivals are performed every year during obon, but they were called off last year due to Covid-19 and most of them are not going to be held this year.
We hope coronavirus pandemic will end and all the festivals will be held soon again.
