「お盆 Obon Festival 」 ～ソフィア学院便り ８月号より～
Obon is a in Buddhist event occurring from the 13th to 15th of July or August to hold a memorial service to the spirits of ancestors.
Because the spirits of the dead are said to return at this time, fires are lit at the entrances to homes so the spirits do not lose their way, and, in addition to lanterns being lit inside homes, the Buddhist home altars are tidied up and vegetables and fruit are set out as offerings.
And when obon is over, the spirits are sent on their way. This is called the escorting of the spirits and fires to speed their seeing off are lit at entrances of homes and offerings are floated on rivers and the ocean.During these obon holidays, parents and their children go to their home towns to meet their grandparents.
And grandparents are looking forward to seeing their children and grandchildren. They enjoy spending time and eating special dinner together. Those who are living away from hometowns come back then, so that there are terrible traffic jams on the toll ways here and there.
One of the Japanese proverbs: Both obon and oshogatsu ( New Year's day) have just been coming together. Both of them are very important and pleasurable for Japanese people. And especially obon holidays are really holy for them.