The Japanese Heart Residing in the Scenery of Obon
In the height of summer, around the middle of August, preparations for "Obon" begin all over the country.
Flowers are decorated on the Buddhist altar, and offerings are made. Then, graves are cleaned, and preparations are made for Obon lanterns and the welcoming fire.
For Japanese people, "Obon" is not just a summer event, but also a precious time to quietly face one's own roots and those of one's family—in other words, one's ancestors.
What is Obon?
"Obon" is formally called "Urabon-e," and its etymology comes from the Sanskrit word "Ullambana." The meaning is translated as "suffering of being hung upside down," and it comes from the episode of Mokuren, one of the Buddha's disciples, and his mother.
Mokuren Sonja is one of the ten great disciples of the Buddha.
When he used his supernatural powers to search for his late mother, he found her suffering in the realm of hungry ghosts (a world of suffering from hunger and thirst). Because his mother had doted on Mokuren so much that she neglected others, she had been cast into the realm of hungry ghosts.
To save his mother, who was hung upside down and suffering from hunger, Mokuren offered her water and food, but they burned up and turned to ash just before they could reach her mouth.
When he consulted the Buddha, having no other way, the Buddha replied, "If you offer a feast to all the monks on the day the summer training ends (July 15th of the lunar calendar), a portion of the merit will reach those who have fallen into the realm of hungry ghosts."
When he did as the Buddha said, the monks were overjoyed, and through their merit, Mokuren was able to save his mother from the realm of hungry ghosts.
Because of this, Obon became a Buddhist event to welcome the spirits of ancestors, entertain them, and send them back to the other world.
In Japan, it spread from the Heian period, and by the Muromachi period, it had become established as the "ancestor memorial service" we know today.
During this period, it is believed that the souls of the deceased return to this world temporarily, and we prepare to welcome them with the feeling of "welcome home."
Currently, in many regions, the four days fromAugust 13th to 16thare generally considered "Obon," but in some areas such as Tokyo, it is held in the lunar August, which is July in the current calendar. I will explain why there are regions that observe Obon in July and others in August on another occasion.
Welcoming Fire and Sending-off Fire
On the 13th, the beginning of Obon, we light a"welcoming fire (mukaebi)"to serve as a landmark so that our ancestors can return without getting lost.
It is common to burn ogara (hemp stalks with the skin peeled off) at the entrance or light lanterns, but there seem to be various ways of welcoming them depending on the region.
As you gaze at the quietly flickering flames, memories of loved ones may come back to you.
And on the 16th, the final day, we light a"sending-off fire (okuribi)"to see them off with feelings of gratitude and farewell, saying, "Please come again next year."
Kyoto's "Gozan no Okuribi (Daimonji-yaki)" is held with the same meaning and is famous nationwide.
These "welcoming fire" and "sending-off fire" contain the meaning ofa light that connects the other world and this world,and it is clear how much our ancestors have cherished the connection with their forebears throughout the ages.
Spirit Horses and Spirit Cows
During the Obon period, have you ever seen cucumbers and eggplants with chopsticks or toothpicks stuck into them to look like animals with legs?
These are called"spirit horses (shoryou-uma)"and"spirit cows (shoryou-ushi)"and are considered "vehicles" for the souls of the deceased to come to this world and return to the other world.
Cucumber horse: With the wish that they return home as quickly as possible.
Eggplant cow: With the feeling that they should return slowly, carrying many souvenirs.
The image of a horse running fast and a cow walking slowly perfectly expresses the feelings of 'wanting to meet soon' and 'reluctance to part.' I feel that even in such casual and simple customs, there resides a consideration for our ancestors and the delicate sensibility characteristic of the Japanese people.
Bon Odori... Why do we dance?
Now, speaking of summer, 'Bon Odori' (Bon dance) is also one of its iconic features. The sight of people wearing yukata and dancing in a circle around a yagura (scaffold) can still be seen in many regions today.
It is said that the origin lies in the 'Nembutsu Odori' (Buddhist invocation dance) that spread around the Kamakura period, where people gathered to dance with feelings of gratitude and prayer, which eventually developed into ancestor worship. In other words, Bon Odori was a dance to honor the spirits of ancestors who had returned for Obon.
The sounds of drums, flutes, gongs, and shamisen, as well as the act of dancing itself, were also said to have the purpose of 'warding off calamities.'
Over time, it came to be enjoyed as a summer social gathering place for local people, and the Bon Odori as a 'festival event' like we see today became established.
If you keep in mind that Bon Odori is not just for fun, but also an expression of gratitude to ancestors, the meaning of dancing might become even deeper.
Quietly, to our ancestors
In modern life, we tend to have less time to think about the 'unseen' due to being too busy.
However, if we take just a little time to put our hearts into saying 'Welcome back' to the light of the welcoming fire, and press our hands together to say 'Let's meet again next year' to the flames of the farewell fire.
Through the shoryo-uma (spirit horses/cows) and Bon Odori, the past and the present are gently connected.
By experiencing Obon traditions in this way, we may be remembering something important that we had begun to forget.
Thank you for reading this far.
The content I am introducing is well-known in books and other sources, but I believe there are various unique characteristics depending on the region. To help share information about various events across the country, please feel free to tell us about the 'Obon traditions in your region' in the comments section.
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