After enduring a slew of hot summer nights with sleep so hard to come by, it was refreshing to wake up to a cool autumn breeze this morning. The end of summer is approaching. Kids at the park are enjoying their last week of summer vacation and soaking up the late summer sun.
Unlike kids, most adults in Japan take only a short summer break that typically lasts less than a week, and many take their vacation during Obon season in August. Even with the recession, flights were all booked to 100% and trains were packed to almost 120%. Obon season is one of the most traveled times in Japan.
So what is Obon, you might wonder? Obon is a uniquely Japanese custom of commemorating ones ancestors.
Several years ago, I took my husband to Nagano where my grandparents live during Obon season. It was his first time to meet my grandparents, visit Nagano, and of course experience this unique custom. I made the mistake of forgetting to brief him on Obon season. He obediently observed what we did, but I had a feeling that it was quite confusing to him. Learning from that experience, I would like to explain what many Japanese do for Obon.
The precise time of Obon season varies depending on where people are from and what religious customs they follow. Many, however, consider the season to be in the middle of August.
Some people, including my grandparents, display an elaborate offering table. On the table there are gifts, flowers, incense, rice cakes, fruits, and vegetables. 
You might also see some cucumbers and eggplants with four disposable chopsticks sticking out of them. These vegetables are there to represent horses for the spirits to ride between our world and their world. Several lanterns with tassels are also displayed on the side of the table. Some are black and others are painted gold. In addition, some have colorful lamp shades that spin, so you can imagine how magical it feels at night.
Once people are done with the display, they make a bonfire called Mukae-bi (welcoming fire) near the entrance gate. The fire is there to guide and welcome the spirits of our ancestors. I remember imagining the smoke swirling up in the air was a white path for them to walk down from heaven.
Since many go back to their hometown during Obon season, local municipalities plan their summer festivals around this weekend. One of the best festivals is Bon Odori (folk dance). There are a variety of Bon dances and most are simple enough for anybody to mimic the moves and join the fun. Rhythmic beats from the Taiko and people in Yukata going around in circles and dancing gives a lively festive feel and is definitely the climax of the festival.
At the end of the season, people float paper lanterns down the river. In my family’s case, we float flowers and offerings of fruit, rice cakes and the vegetable horses down the river. Lighting Okuri-bi (sending off fire) is the final ritual of Obon season, and for many it also marks the end of their summer vacation.
You might think that following the same rituals year after year gets kind of repetitive and boring. Yet for many Japanese people it’s comforting and soothing. For those people who don’t visit their hometown often, it is nice to experience the familiarity of sharing the same rituals with locals. Obon gives many busy Japanese a reason to get together with families, relatives, and ancestors. And so, after sending off our ancestors to their world, it is almost time to close the last page of our own summer vacation…until next summer.
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