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What is the purpose of the Bon festival?
What is Obon? Obon also known as Bon Festival is an event that takes place over the course of several days commemorating and honoring ancestors. Obon centers around a belief that the spirits and souls of loved ones and dead ancestors come back to visit.
What happens at the Bon festival?
The Obon festival (also known as Bon festival) is an annual Japanese holiday which commemorates and remembers deceased ancestors. It is believed that their spirits return at this time to visit their relatives. Chochin (paper) lanterns are hung to guide the spirits and Obon dances (bon odori) are performed.
What are 5 traditions of the Obon festival?
Families place offerings of fruit, rice, green tea, sake and lotus-shaped sweets at the graves or family altars. Paper lanterns are hung round the house to help guide the spirits home. Some families carry lanterns from the graves back to their homes.
What do Buddhists do on Obon?
A Buddhist tradition celebrated in Japan for over 500 years, Obon is an annual three-day event held in honor of one’s ancestors, which sees families get together as the spirits visit household altars.
What is the reason why Japanese people dance Bon Odori?
Bon odori is a type of folk dance performed during the Obon Festival. It was originally a dance to welcome the spirits of the dead. These dances and the music that accompanies them are different for every region of Japan.
When was the Bon festival held in the old days?
Kyū Bon (Old Bon) is celebrated on the 15th day of the ninth month of the lunar calendar, and so differs each year, which appears between August 8 and September 7….Bon Festival.
| Obon Festival | |
|---|---|
| Type | Religious, Cultural |
| Significance | Honors the spirits of one’s ancestors |
| Date | August 15 July 15 (Kantō) 10th day of the 7th lunar month |
What is Bon in Japanese?
Obon (お盆) or just Bon (盆) is a Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the spirits of one’s ancestors.
Is May 1st a holiday in Japan?
Showa is the name of an era in Japan. Showa Day was established as a day to reflect back on that time period. In 2021, Showa Day is on Thursday, April 29. April 30 and May 1 are not public holidays, but many people will likely take the day off to get an 8-day Golden Week vacation.
What is a Japanese Bon dance?
Obon (お盆) or just Bon (盆) is a Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the spirits of one’s ancestors. It has been celebrated in Japan for more than 500 years and traditionally includes a dance, known as Bon Odori. The festival of Obon lasts for three days; however, its starting date varies within different regions of Japan.
Who created Bon Odori?
Tracing its roots back to Japan, Bon Odori evolved out of the Odori Nembutsu, a popular Buddhist chant and dance from the late Heian (794 – 1185) and Kamakura (1185 – 1333) periods. By the 1600s, it became widespread and very popular in rural communities, providing a break from farm life.