Buddhist Obon Festival

In Japan, the time span from the 13th to 16th of August is called Obon. Obon is the name of a Buddhist event and this is one of the most significant traditions for Japanese people. Therefore, in the month of August Buddhist Obon Festival consists in the period of praying for the rest of the souls of one's ancestors. It is believe that their ancestors' spirits come back to their homes to be reunited with their family during Obon.

In Japan, there is a thing called Butsudan; this stands for Buddhist families altar. During this festival the butsudan is bedecked with flower and chouchin (paper lanterns). This time people clean their houses and offer a variety of food such as vegetables and fruits to the spirits of ancestors in front of the butsudan. On the 13th of Aug, the paper lanterns are lit inside houses, and people go to their family's o-haka (graves) to call the spirits of their ancestors' back home. On 16th August, the local dwellers bring the ancestor's spirits back to ohaka, hanging chouchins tinted with the family crest to guide the ancestors' spirits.

In some regions, fires called mukaebi are lit at the doorway of homes to guide the ancestor's spirits. In some regions, fires named as okuribi are lit at entrances of homes to send the ancestors' spirits. The air in houses and graveyards are smoky and the smell of incense over there is called senko.

Many people celebrate this event because in Japan ancestors are objects of philosophical adoration and are believed to have a supernatural power over the living.

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