O-bon

The O-bon (お盆) festival is one of the most important seasons in the year, after New Year.
Its Significance is to honour and relief the spirits of the ancestor from their suffering and comes from the Religion of Buddhism.
It has evolved to a family reunion day, were most of the people come back to the places where their house altar is placed and their family lives.
With a history of over 500 years, O-bon is no national holiday, due to its changing dates according to the region of Japan. For example, in the Eastern Part of Japan, O-bon is held around the 15th July, whereas in the western Part it is celebrated from 13th - 15th August.
An important component of O-bon are lights. Families put lanterns in front of their houses to welcome the spirits of their deceased. In addition, piles are burned, often in the shape of the Chinese character “Dai“. On the last evening of O-bon, Lanterns are launched to rivers in order to lead the spirits of the ancestors.
To remember the dead, “Bon-Odori“ is danced, a traditional dance that can change its form and manner suprisingly according where you go. A Bon-odori consist of local traditional dance forms, as well as music, that can differ from traditional Japanese music, classical Music or even modern Pop music.