Japan

Introduction

In Japan, an ancient and important Buddhist festival called the Obon, or Bon, Festival is celebrated in honor of deceased family members and ancestors. Buddhism (pronounced BOO-dih-zem) is one of the major religions of Asia and is one of the five largest in the world. Buddhism was founded by Prince Siddhartha Gautama (pronounced sid-DAR-tuh GOW-tuh-muh; c. 563–c. 483 B.C.), who was later given the name Buddha. His teachings form the foundation of Buddhism. Over ninety-six million people in Japan are Buddhist.

The Obon Festival is usually celebrated from August 13 to August 15, but in some places it is held from July 13 to July 15. Many people take a holiday from work during Obon, and businesses are usually closed.

History

The Obon Festival has been celebrated in Japan for about 1,400 years. The festival originated with the Buddhists in India, and with the spread of Buddhism it arrived in Japan during the early seventh century. The festival began when Buddhist priests celebrating a feast offered a share of the food to their ancestors. In Japan, only the families of noblemen celebrated the feast at first, but later everyone participated.

Folklore, Legends, Stories

According to Buddhist belief, if the living do not remember and pray for the dead, the souls of the dead will suffer greatly. Buddhists also believe that deceased ancestors continue to love and care for their living descendants even after death. It is said that during the Obon Festival the souls of the dead return to the land of the living from faraway mountains and from their graves. People once believed the souls returned from a place that lay beyond the sea.

Buddhists have a term for all the spirits of the dead combined into one, "O Shorai Sama." According to legend, this being comes riding on a snow-white horse on the first evening of the Obon Festival and leaves again at the close of the festival, when families place lanterns and food offerings on the rivers to be carried out to sea.

Customs, Traditions, Ceremonies

In the days before the Obon Festival, families clean their houses thoroughly, make any needed repairs, put fresh flowers in vases, and arrange everything as neatly as possible. Then they turn their attention to the family shrine, an altar or table-like stand that holds a statue of Buddha and tablets that name family ancestors. All the items are dusted and cleaned. Then a woven grass mat is placed on the floor in front of the shrine. The family's ancestor tablets are arranged on the mat as a welcome to the spirits, who will live in the shrine while they are visiting.

Lighting the welcoming fires

At dusk on the first evening of the Obon Festival, each family lights a small bonfire outside the entrance to their home to welcome the returning spirits. Throughout the festival, lights and lanterns are kept burning to help the spirits find their way. Families visit cemeteries during Obon and often leave lanterns burning at the grave sites of departed relatives. At the close of the festival, a farewell bonfire is lit at each home.

A bright farewell

At midnight on the last day of the Obon Festival, when it is time for the visiting spirits to return to the land of the dead, the Japanese perform a beautiful ceremony called Toro Nagashi (pronounced TORE-oh nah-GOSH-ee; floating paper lantern). The grass mat that was placed in front of the family shrine at the beginning of the festival is removed. Farewell rice dumplings, any leftover festival food, and the shrine decorations are placed on the mat. The sides of the mat are then folded together to create a bundle.

The bundle is placed on a small straw boat about three feet long, with a paper lantern fastened to the bow. The names of the dead who were honored are also placed inside the boats. Every family then walks to the waterfront and places their boat in the river, which becomes a sea of little lantern lights drifting toward the "unknown land," taking the spirits home.

Rice Dumplings

Ingredients

1¹/₃ cups glutinous (gluey) rice
³/₄ cup water chestnuts canola oil spray
8 shiitake mushrooms, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes, stems removed, caps minced
1¹/₂ tablespoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced green onion
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions

1. Wash and drain the rice several times until the water runs clear. Drain and transfer to a baking sheet. Set aside.
2. Drop the water chestnuts into boiling water for 10 seconds. Drain. Rinse with cold water, drain, and chop.
3. Line 1 or 2 steamer trays with wax or parchment paper (or use aluminum pie plates punched with holes) and lightly brush with the oil.
4. Put the mushrooms, water chestnuts, ginger, green onion, soy sauce, sesame oil, and cornstarch in a bowl and stir to combine thoroughly.
5. Shape the mixture into balls about 1 inch in diameter. Roll each ball in the glutinous rice until well coated with grains, lightly pressing the rice into the ball so it sticks.
6. Place the balls on the steamer tray, leaving a ¹/₂-inch space between them.
7. Fill a large pot with water for steaming and bring it to a boil.
8. Stack the steamer trays over the boiling water or place 1 pie plate of dumplings on a stand over the boiling water. Cover and steam over high heat for 10 minutes or until the rice is cooked.
9. Serve hot with a dipping sauce made from soy sauce with a little vinegar and sesame oil added.

Clothing, Costumes

It is customary for everyone to get new clothes for Obon and to wear them during the festival. A special lightweight cotton kimono (pronounced kuh-MOH-noh; a long robe with wide sleeves, worn with a wide sash or belt) is the traditional costume worn for the Bon-Odori, the Japanese folk dancing held during the Obon Festival. This summer kimono is called the yukata (pronounced yuh-COT-uh), and is worn by both children and adults. Dancers often carry large fans during the dance.

Foods, Recipes

Like the Day of the Dead in Mexico, the Obon Festival is a time for welcoming the returning dead with many of the foods they enjoyed in life. The spirits are believed to be weary and hungry when they return from "the otherworld."

On the first night of the Obon Festival, family members place a meal of vegetables, fruits, and rice cakes near the family's altar, which is located inside the home. Buddhists do not eat meat on this occasion because it is a tradition to refrain from taking life during Obon. The family then invites their deceased relatives to join in the meal. During the three days of the festival, family members eat with and carry on conversations with their ancestors as if they were alive. Special rice dumplings are prepared on the last day of the festival to send the spirits on their way.

Arts, Crafts, Games

Decorating the family shrine for the Obon Festival is an occasion to put artistic talent to work. Favorite vegetables such as eggplants and cucumbers are carved into animal shapes, with grasses, leaves, and stems used for ornamentation. Long pasta noodles are also used for decoration.

Music, Dance

On the last night of Obon, the Japanese celebrate with folk dances called Bon-Odori, "Dance of Rejoicing." People dance by the light of paper or plastic lanterns, either on a wooden stage at an outdoor park or in a procession through the streets of town. The Bon-Odori are also performed in Buddhist temples, to the beat of a big drum called the taiko (pronounced TIE-koh).

Some of the dances are more like Western folk dances, but others are traditional Japanese dances, with graceful movements and postures, spinning, and hand clapping. The dancers usually perform to music played from a recording, but the more elaborate Bon-Odori also include live musicians and puppet shows. The traditional music features drums and flutes.

The Bon-Odori was once a more solemn dance, performed by family members who were in mourning for a lost loved one. Now it is a dance to welcome and comfort the returning ancestors and to bring joy to the living.

Special Role of Children, Young Adults

One reason for honoring the ancestors during Obon is to help children remember their heritage and to encourage them to show respect for parents, grandparents, and other adult relatives. Therefore, children participate in most aspects of the Obon Festival. They often help make decorations for the family shrine, help prepare food, and visit the graves. Children love the Bon-Odori folk dances and are sometimes treated afterward to ice cream or candy. They also like to buy small lanterns at the Bon-Odori dances. In some places, gifts are given during the Obon Festival.

For More Information

MacMillan, Diane. Japanese Children's Day and the Obon Festival. Springfield, N.J.: Enslow Publishers, 1997.

Suyenaga, Ruth. Obon (Multicultural Celebrations). Cleveland: Modern Curriculum Press, 1993.