Remembering thy Ancestors Obon Season...

Posted on July 26, 2007 by Brenton S.

Spiritual recognition and communication with one’s ancestors has been practiced by many cultures throughout the ages. Japan, having an amalgamation of different religions blending into their culture, celebrate and practice different rituals. Obon is a Buddhist celebration commemorating the deceased and one’s ancestral spirits. Usually held from July throughout mid-August, Obon is a one of the largest religious events to take place in Japan.

Obon is a time for reflection and remembrance of all the ancestors and friends lost over the years. Obon is a memorial celebration in which food and prayers are offered and presented at gravesites and family altars. Such offerings include fruits and other foods that one may have known the former person to enjoy. Traditionally the members of each household would go to the cemetery and pray for the souls to come and join them for a night of merriment and communion, for keeping good relations with ones ancestors would not only increase your luck but your family's spiritual strength. It is almost a universal pre-Christ idea that one's ancestors, depending on their treatment, have a direct result on how prosperous one becomes as well as positive everyday occurrences.

During the Obon season there are many festivals and carnivals that spring up at all the major Buddhist temples. A good place for the gaijinJapanese word meaning "outsider" commonly used to describe foreigners. Considered somewhat impolite. to experience these cultural phenomena is the Bon Odori or “Bon Dance”. Usually held about the same time as Obon, the Bon Odori is usually a joint production by the Buddhist temple and the community. There are many lanterns or “chou-chin” that are supposed to guide the spirits from the netherworld to the family’s homes. However in today’s modern Japan, one will see the lanterns mostly strung up in large amounts at the Bon Odori.

The Bon Dance in today’s view has many things to make this modern day memorial festival more of a happy than solemn event. The Bon dance is usually jumping and alive with yukata wearing dancers moving in unison to the large Taiko drums around a large raised platform called a Yagura. There are no real heavy religious undertones in the music and everything from Enka and folk songs to new pop hits are played for the crowd’s enjoyment. These days the youth of Japan may not grasp the whole concept of Obon, and it is surely becoming more commercialized like Christmas. However the main goals are met if everyone especially the entire family unit enjoys himself or herself, which is key. There are many festival foods and delicacies to be had such as tako yaki, bean pies, candy apples, dango, squid sticks and the like just follow your nose to the odors wafting through the humid summer air. There are many games and things for the children to do such as scooping goldfish or throwing rings on pegs and other standard carnival amusement.

On the nights of these large festivals entire areas are usually shut down so that the entire community can come and make merry with one another. So if you are planning to make a trip of it do it in advance as many country hotels and such will not be open. City dwellers need to worry as it is more commercialized and area shops prosper during the large influx of festival patrons. This is definitely one of the festivals a gaijin must experience if they are in Japan at this time of year. Just contact your local Buddhist temple or taxi driver and get the information pertaining to the Bon Odori.

All in all, Obon season will generally leave you in good spirits, which is better than leaving with a “grudge” just kidding. Take time to practice the underlying Buddhist laws incorporated with Obon such as selfless giving and you may feel more in spirit. Obon is a time of reflection for everyone and a way or remembering one's past relations…