learn/[id]

季節
13 分で読める
お
SEASONAL
Obon — Japan's Festival of Ancestors: Welcoming Fires, Spirit Boats, and Bon Odori Dance
Obon is Japan's Buddhist festival of ancestors, observed in July or August when ancestral spirits are believed to return to the living world. Welcoming fires, spirit boats, bon odori dances, and farewell fires mark the week. This guide explains the July/August regional split, the role of major temples including Sensoji, Sojiji, Eiheiji, Todaiji, and Zojoji.
暦
Author
Koyomi
| Seasons & Customs
Contents
MOKUJI
一
Origins of Obon — From the Ullambana Sutra to Japan's Ancestor Festival
›
二
Obon Rituals — Welcoming Fire, Spirit Shelf, Bon Odori, Farewell Fire
›
三
Shoryonagashi — Sending the Spirits Away
›
四
Major Obon Events and Pilgrimage Sites
›
五
Niibo — The First Obon After a Death
›
六
Frequently Asked Questions
›
Obon (Urabon-e) is an annual Buddhist observance in July or August during which ancestral spirits are believed to return to the world of the living. Families gather, light welcoming fires, prepare offerings, dance the bon odori, and ultimately see the spirits off with farewell fires. It is also Japan’s largest homecoming season, when most companies observe a multi-day holiday.
The Daimonji bonfire of Kyoto's Gozan Okuribi farewell-fire ceremony. The character 大 blazes on the slope of Mount Nyoigatake (Daimonji Mountain) on the night of August 16th, guiding ancestral spirits back to the spirit world.
Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 / photo by Cookie4869
Origins of Obon — From the Ullambana Sutra to Japan’s Ancestor Festival
Obon traces to the Buddhist scripture “Urabon-kyo” (Ullambana Sutra). The legend tells of Mokuren, a disciple of the Buddha, who used his supernatural powers to see that his deceased mother was suffering in the realm of hungry ghosts. Following the Buddha’s instruction to make offerings to monks, he was able to release her from her suffering.
The word “Urabon” is a transliteration of the Sanskrit “ullambana” (sometimes interpreted as “hanging upside down” — the torment Mokuren’s mother suffered).
Why is Obon observed in July in some regions and August in others?
Timing
Region
Background
July Obon (old-calendar Obon)
Tokyo, Kanagawa, Shizuoka, Sendai
Maintained lunar calendar July 15 after the Meiji calendar reform
August Obon (month-delayed)
Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kansai, Kyushu, etc.
Shifted one month to avoid peak farming season
Lunar calendar Obon
Okinawa, Amami Oshima
Follows the lunar calendar; date shifts year by year
Most families observe August 13 (welcome day) to August 16 (farewell day).
Shoryo-uma (spirit animals) placed on the spirit shelf during Obon. A cucumber shaped into a horse (swift — to carry spirits home quickly) and an eggplant shaped into an ox (slow — no need to hurry back) are among the most distinctive folk customs of the Bon season.
Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0 / photo by Katorisi
Obon Rituals — Welcoming Fire, Spirit Shelf, Bon Odori, Farewell Fire
Why is the welcoming fire (mukaebi) lit?
The mukaebi is lit at the entrance or garden on Obon’s first day (August 13) to guide ancestral spirits safely home from the afterlife. Traditionally, hemp stalks (ogara) are burned, and the smoke serves as the spiritual pathway for the ancestors to follow.
How is the spirit shelf (bondana) arranged?
The bondana is a special altar set before the household Buddhist altar (butsudan) for the duration of Obon:
Offering
Meaning
Memorial tablets (ihai)
Vessel for ancestral spirits
Spirit horses (cucumber and eggplant figures)
Cucumber = horse (to arrive quickly); eggplant = cow (to return slowly)
Water, fruit, and vegetables
Offerings for the ancestors
Lanterns
Guiding lights for spirits
What is the bon odori dance?
The bon odori (Obon dance) was originally performed to comfort and entertain the returning spirits and has become the central feature of Japan’s summer festivals. Regional variants include the Awa Odori (Tokushima), Yosakoi (Kochi), and Nebuta (Aomori).
Awa Odori in Tokushima (2008). To the chant "Dancing fools, watching fools — since we're all fools, better to dance!", the music and dancers fill the midsummer night. Japan's largest bon-odori festival draws over a million spectators each August.
Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0 / photo by Rosino
Shoryonagashi — Sending the Spirits Away
What is the spirit-boat floating ceremony?
Shoryonagashi is performed on the final day of Obon (August 16) to send ancestral spirits back to the other world. Small straw or wooden boats (shoryo-bune) carrying offerings and proxy memorial tablets are floated on rivers, the sea, or ponds. Nagasaki City’s famous shoryonagashi on the night of August 15 — with its elaborate boats and firecracker volleys — is nationally renowned.
Okuribi (farewell fire) and Gozan Okuribi
The okuribi (farewell fire) complements the mukaebi, lit on the final evening to light the spirits’ path back to the other world. Kyoto’s Gozan no Okuribi (Five Mountain Farewell Fires, August 16) is the most famous example: on five mountains surrounding Kyoto, the characters “大” “妙” “法” and shapes of a boat and torii gate are formed in blazing torches.
Gujo Odori in Gifu (August 16, 2009). Japan's longest bon-odori season — roughly thirty nights from July through September — was inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2022. There are no spectators; everyone is invited to join the circle.
Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0 / photo by tsuda
Major Obon Events and Pilgrimage Sites
Sensoji — Tokyo’s Obon Observance
Sensoji (Taito, Tokyo) holds Urabon-e ceremonies during July Obon, with ancestor memorial services and bon odori events in the precincts. The July Obon tradition is particularly well-preserved in Asakusa’s shitamachi (downtown) district.
Sojiji — Soto Zen Segaki Rites
Sojiji (Tsurumi Sojiji) (Tsurumi, Kanagawa), head temple of the Soto Zen school, holds elaborate segaki hoyou (memorial rites for hungry spirits) during Obon. Segaki ceremonies pray not only for ancestral spirits but for all souls without descendants to perform offerings.
Eiheiji — Zen’s Obon Observances
Eiheiji (Fukui), the sacred headquarters of Soto Zen founded by Dogen Zenji in 1244, performs Obon rites according to precise Zen ceremonial protocols. Many pilgrims combine a stay-in meditation retreat (sanro shugyō) with Obon worship.
Todaiji — Great Buddha’s Obon
Todaiji (Nara City) holds the Manto Kuyo-e (Ten Thousand Lantern Memorial Service) during August Obon, when countless lanterns illuminate the precincts. Ancestral memorial before the Great Buddha (Vairocana) represents a tradition continuous since the Nara period.
Zojoji — Tokugawa Family Obon
Zojoji (Minato, Tokyo), the Tokugawa family temple containing the mausoleums of six shoguns, holds segaki services and ancestor memorial rites during Obon. The scene of lanterns lit against the backdrop of Tokyo Tower is a popular modern image of Obon in Tokyo.
The Mando Kuyo (ten-thousand-lantern memorial ceremony) at Todaiji Temple on August 15th. Stone lanterns ring the Great Buddha Hall, bathing the precinct in otherworldly light. Before a Buddha commissioned 1,300 years ago by Emperor Shomu, the urabon-e prayers continue unchanged.
Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0 / photo by akyuna
Niibo — The First Obon After a Death
Niibo (also read hatsub on) refers to the first Obon after a family member’s death, observed with greater ceremony than subsequent years. White lanterns (shiro-bon-jin) are hung, and relatives and friends are invited for a memorial service and meal.
Obon Sequence
Timing
Light mukaebi (welcoming fire)
Evening of August 13 (July 13 for July Obon)
Set up bondana (spirit shelf)
August 13–16
Light okuribi (farewell fire)
Evening of August 16
Take down bondana
After August 17
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are there both July and August Obons?
After the Meiji-era calendar reform (adopting the Gregorian calendar), Tokyo and some areas simply kept July 15 as the Obon date in the new calendar. Agricultural regions, however, shifted to August 15 to avoid the farming season. All three forms — July, August, and lunar-calendar Obon — survive today.
Why are cucumber and eggplant made into horse and cow figures?
The cucumber represents a horse (fast transport) so ancestors arrive quickly; the eggplant represents a cow (slow transport) so ancestors depart slowly. Chopstick legs are inserted to complete the animal shapes.
Is it acceptable to travel during Obon?
No modern restrictions apply. Traditional thinking held that one should stay home during Obon since ancestral spirits have returned. For those who observe ancestor veneration, returning home during the period is considered ideal.
Where is the best place to watch the Gozan no Okuribi in Kyoto?
The five fires are visible from various parts of central Kyoto, but no single location offers a view of all five simultaneously. Popular viewing spots include the Kamo River banks and hillside areas with clear views of the relevant mountains. Fires are lit sequentially from around 8:00 PM on August 16.
What is the best timing for Obon grave visits?
Visiting the grave on or before August 13 (welcome day) to invite the ancestors home, then again around August 16 (farewell day) is considered the most attentive practice. The August 13 visit is typically the most important.
Last updated: April 25, 2026
── 了 ──
暦
Author
Koyomi（こよみ）
Seasons & Customs
Toku editorial team — seasons and customs. Former travel-magazine editor delivering bloom timings, annual rituals and visit etiquette in sense-laden prose accessible to first-timers.
›
This article was
♡ Helpful
⤴
詣
Visit Related Places
History truly comes alive when you visit in person. Choose your next destination from the related sites and pilgrimage courses below.
1. Sensoji
Tokyo's oldest temple — the Kannon sanctuary of Kaminarimon and Nakamise
›
S
2. Sojiji
One of the two head temples of Soto Zen, founded in 1321 in Noto and relocated to Tsurumi in 1911 — overseeing all 14,000 Soto Zen temples in Japan with a vast monastic complex
›
3. Eiheiji
Head temple of Soto Zen
›
4. Todaiji
Emperor Shomu's World Heritage masterpiece — the Great Buddha and the world's largest wooden hall
›
5. Zojoji
Jodo-shu's head temple founded in 1393, designated by Ieyasu as his Edo castle's southwestern guardian — six shoguns are buried here and the 1622 Sangedatsumon triple gate survives as the largest wooden tower gate in eastern Japan
›
Pilgrimage Course
Shibusawa Eiichi & Modern Tokyo
Visit 4 sites
›
Pilgrimage Course
Bandō 33 Kannon Pilgrimage
Visit 33 sites
›
Related Articles
N
共通のスポット
Nihonbashi Shichifukujin Pilgrimage: A Half-Day Lucky Gods Tour of Old Tokyo
The Nihonbashi Shichifukujin pilgrimage covers 8 shrines and temples in Tokyo's historic merchant qu
›
O
共通のスポット
Ohigan — Japan's Buddhist Equinox Weeks for Ancestor Memorial and Temple Visits
Ohigan is a seven-day Buddhist observance centered on the spring and autumn equinoxes, when families
›
S
共通のスポット
Setsubun — Bean Throwing, Eho-maki, and Tsuina Rites: Complete Guide to Japan's Evil-Banishing Eve
Setsubun (around February 3) is a seasonal purification rite performed on the eve of Risshun (the fi
›
I C H I G O I C H I E
📱
Explore pilgrimage with the app
Download on the App Store
✕