Today marks the beginning of Obon, a uniquely Japanese custom. Originally, it was one of the ancestral memorial events held for several days centered on the 15th day of the 7th month in the lunar calendar, but nowadays it is most often observed in mid-August in the solar calendar, during which many people return to their hometowns, leaving the urban areas relatively quiet. In rural regions, relatives gather to welcome family members who have come back from the cities and to remember their ancestors. This brings back, if only temporarily, the now-vanishing scene of family members sitting together, and in many rural areas, most shops close during this time. As a result, if you travel during this period, you should be aware that, aside from tourist spots, most places may not be open.
In addition, Obon customs that developed uniquely in each part of Japan are celebrated in various forms as Obon festivals, such as bon odori dances. These festivals were originally rooted in rituals to welcome the spirits of ancestors, but today they have largely taken on a temporary, commercial aspect aimed at attracting tourists. It is said that even in Tokyo in the past, people would bundle hemp stalks together to make torches, light them, and use them as guides so that the spirits of their ancestors would not lose their way to their homes. In the days before electricity, the mukaebi (welcoming fires) blazed all over town, and their light was thought to guide ancestral spirits back home. That sight has now vanished, and for many people today, Obon is regarded merely as a holiday, yet it remains an important time to remember one’s ancestors.
In Japan, Obon was originally held on the 15th day of the 7th month in the lunar calendar, but after the Meiji era it shifted to the solar calendar, and today most companies schedule their summer holidays in mid-August. During this period, people living in cities make a great migration back to their hometowns, an event known as the “kisei rush” (homecoming rush). The origins of Obon date back to the mid-6th century, when Buddhism was introduced to Japan via China, bringing with it the Indian-origin Urabon (盂蘭盆) observance. The roots of Urabon lie in Indian Buddhism, based on the story of the Buddha’s disciple Maudgalyāyana (目連, Mokuren) as told in the Urabon Sutra (盂蘭盆経). Mokuren, seeking to save his deceased mother who was suffering in the realm of hungry ghosts (gaki-dō, 餓鬼道), implored the Buddha for salvation. The Buddha instructed him to make offerings of food and drink to monks on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month and to transfer the merit to his mother. Following this teaching, Mokuren performed acts of generosity and memorial offerings to many monks, and it is said his mother was released from the suffering of the hungry ghost realm. Inspired by this story, the annual Urabon-e (盂蘭盆会) in India was held on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month, offering food and drink to the sangha to save the spirits of deceased parents and ancestors.