The Japanese culture contains a large variety of different festivals and celebrations that take place every year. There are Buddhist, Shintō or just culturally rooted festivals that are celebrated nationwide. In this article, we will take a closer look at one of the most important Buddhist festivals there is: Obon (お盆).

Obon is a custom to honor the spirits of one’s ancestors. This tradition has evolved into a family reunion holiday during which people return to their family places and visit and clean their ancestors’ graves, and when the spirits of ancestors are supposed to revisit the household altars. It has been celebrated in Japan for more than 500 years and traditionally includes a dance, known as Bon-Odori.

The festival of Obon lasts for three days; however its starting date varies within different regions of Japan. When the western calendar was introduced to Japan, local administrations reacted different, this resulted in three different times of Obon. There is a Bon in July which is based on the solar calendar and is celebrated around 15 July in eastern Japan. Bon in August is based on the lunar calendar, is celebrated around the 15th of August and is the most commonly celebrated time. The so called old Bon is celebrated on the 15th day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar, and so differs each year. These three days are not listed as public holidays but it is customary that people are given holidays.

As Obon occurs in the heat of the summer, participants traditionally wear a yukata, you might wanna read about those clothes in our article about traditional Japanese clothing. Many Obon celebrations include a huge carnival with rides, games, and summer festival food like watermelon and cucumber.
You shouldn’t miss out on Obon, even if you’re not Buddhist. It’s a welcoming custom and the festivities are quite impressive. Participate in the dances, listen to the music, watch the bonfires, lanterns and candles or enjoy delicious food at the stalls!