Origins

• Though the Obon Festival is practiced today by people throughout Japan, its origins come from the story of a Buddhist monk named Mokuren. Upon learning that his mother's soul had been sent to Hell as a punishment for the way she'd lived her life, Mokuren sought out advice from another monk on what could be done to allow her a peaceful afterlife. Undertaking the task of doing good deeds on his mother's behalf-- as was the monk's suggestion --began the practice of what would eventually become the Obon Festival.
  
  

Festival Days

• The date of the Obon Festival isn't dependent solely on the Julian calendar. The celebration months of the festival are regional, taking place either in July or August. The specific dates (and the ceremonies that take place on them) remain the same whether the family follows the lunar or solar calendar. The Obon Festival takes place on the 13th through15th of the celebratory month. As this is an important festival, people are given time off from work in order to return to their home villages.
  
  

Lighting the Lanterns

• The most important part of the lantern ceremony involves people returning to their ancestral homes. Once there, while either at the home of the family patriarch or a graveyard where the family's ancestors are buried, elaborate lanterns are lit in order to guide the family spirits home. These lanterns can be very elaborate and are often created especially for the yearly ceremony. Once the lanterns have been lit, the joyful celebration begins.
  
  

Foodstuffs

• As is the case in all celebrations, food is very important. In the Obon lantern ceremony, food is offered not only to the living, but more importantly to the dead as well. Foods including rice, fruits and vegetables, as well as sweets are prepared for the ceremony and then given to guests in honor of the deceased ancestors. Doing good in the name of the family's ancestors is seen as a credit to their spirits, which ensures them a better afterlife.
  
  

Floating Lanterns

• The lanterns are symbolic in not only calling forth the ancestors, but also in guiding them back to their rest. At the close of the celebration, the lanterns which had previously decorated the homes and graveyards are placed on a river. As the lanterns drift slowly away, so do the spirits of the ancestors. As the lanterns float away, fireworks may be shot off to ensure that no evil spirits lurk.