Читать книгу A Gaijin's Guide to Japan: An alternative look at Japanese life, history and culture - Ben Stevens - Страница 12

Commonly called Obon (the ‘O’ is honorific, as in okane— ‘money’), this is the Buddhist ‘Festival for the Dead’, which occurs from 13—15 July in the east of Japan (where the Western solar calendar is favoured) and the same dates in August in western parts of the country (where the Chinese lunar calendar is still followed).

You’ll see the countless sprawling cemeteries within Japan full of people cleaning the family haka (a Buddhist tomb) and paying their respects to the spirits of their ancestors, who return to earth on the thirteenth of either month for a total of three days.

During this time, the spirits generally fly around and look in on their loved ones, who as well as cleaning the family haka may also hang lanterns outside their homes by way of welcome.