Obon is the 500 year old Japanese Buddhast tradition of paying respect to ancestors and loved ones who have passed away. It is believed that their spirits return at this time to visit their relatives. And so, they party. Although it is a holiday commemorating the dead, Obon festivals are quite loud, lively and include lots of beer. Traditional dance called Bon Odori is performed to thundering Taiko drums and local folk songs. Games, rides, performances and carnival food are also part of the festivities.. Today, Aug 15 is the last day of the celebration. It is the time to guide the spirits back to their grave. I took a walk to the graveyard in Onishi this morning. It's a perfectly warm, rainy day. The streets are quiet, some with a lit fire at the entrance and the whole town smells of incense.
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I was invited to celebrate Obon with some friends I met last year! The lovely Mina (who owns Oni Cafe and is a marvelous chef) surprised me with a kimon to wear to the festival. Her husband, Jacob is from the Netherlands and also speaks fluent Japanese. This cute little gal is a friend of Mina's.
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This is a taiko-musubi, or "drum bow." It is part of the obi, or sash that covers all the extra fabric and holds the kimono in place.
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| Celebrating Obon! |
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| My friend, Kazuya Sakamoto planned a wonderful eveing for us! |
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| So beautiful and delicious. Thanks, Kazu-san! |
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| The street is adorned with candles that will lead the anscestors back to their grave. |
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| Women dressed in kimonos encourage everyone to join in traditional Japanese dance. Sort of like Japanese line dancing. |
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| The Blue Hour with Gaby, Margaret, Yasmin, Michael, myself and Berenika. Edmundo took this great photo. |
"
Everything starts from a dot." Kandinsky
