Friday, July 29, 2016

Obon Festival: Japan's "Day of the Dead"

Japanese-City.com; Jeff Albrizze, CC Liu, Seth Auberon, Wisdom Quarterly, Wiki edit


Bon Festival (Obon)
Obon as celebrated in the late Edo period
Obon (お盆) or Bon () is a Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the spirits of one's ancestors -- an Asian "Day of the Dead" like the Aztec-Mexican Dia de los Muertos, Irish-Gaelic Samhain, or Europe's Walpurgis Night.

This Buddhist-Confucian custom has evolved into a family reunion holiday during which people return to ancestral family places and visit and clean their ancestors' graves.

Some Dead are Grateful (HippieShop)
In turn, the spirits of ancestors -- or grateful dead -- are supposed to revisit household altars.

The festival 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 across different regions of Japan.

When the lunar calendar was replaced by the imperial Western Gregorian calendar at the beginning of the Meiji era, the localities in Japan reacted differently. This resulted in three different times of Obon.
 
Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) altar
Shichigatsu Bon ("Bon in July") is based on the solar calendar and is celebrated around July 15th in eastern Japan (Kantō region such as Tokyo, Yokohama, and Tohoku), coinciding with Chūgen. 

Hachigatsu Bon ("Bon in August") is based on the lunar calendar and is celebrated around August 15th, which is the most commonly celebrated time.
 
Kyu Bon ("Old Bon") is celebrated in areas like the northern part of the Kantō region on the 15th day of the seventh month of the 13-month lunar calendar, so it differs each year.... More
 
A Thin Veil Between Us and Ghosts
"Hungry ghost" (preta) during Kali Puja
(WQ) The Theravada Buddhist tradition of Southeast Asia might use such a time to read from the sacred Buddhist text known as the Petavatthu or "Stories of the Departed [ancestral ghosts]" to remind ourselves of the results of unskillful karma. The Realm of Hungry Ghosts is where we might go unless we have the merit to be reborn in fortunate planes of existence. It is impossible, however, that we do not have some "relative" (seven generations out) who has not landed there. So what we do to remember them and transfer merit is very helpful for the sake of the grateful dead and ourselves. For surely the good we do first rains back on us then on others.
 
2016 Summer Festival + Obon Dance Schedule

Japanese Summer Festival & Bon Odori Schedule 
1) 2016 Higashi Hongwanji Annual Summer Obon Festival & Bon Odori (2 Days) - (Sunday: HappyFunSmile Performing Live 6pm) (Saturday, 30 July, 2016)
Higashi Honganji Buddhist Temple - Japanese Obon - There will be a variety of Japanese foods for sale... [Details]

(Saturday, 30 July, 2016)
West Los Angeles Buddhist Temple Obon & Bon Odori Dance Festival / WEST LA OBON - Obon or 'Festival of... [Details]

(Sunday, 31 July, 2016)
The Obon Festival an annual Buddhist event held to commemorate one's ancestors. It is believed that each year... [Details]

(Sunday, 31 July, 2016)
Higashi Honganji Buddhist Temple - Japanese Obon - There will be a variety of Japanese foods for sale... [Details] 

(Sunday, 31 July, 2016)
The Salinas Buddhist Temple is planning to hold their Obon festival this sunday. The festival features... [Details] 

(Sunday, 31 July, 2016)
West Los Angeles Buddhist Temple Obon & Bon Odori Dance Festival / WEST LA OBON - Obon or 'Festival of... [Details]

(Tuesday, 02 August, 2016)
Gardena Buddhist Church Bon Odori practice starts in June, starting at 7:00 pm in the evening. Please come to... [Details] 

(Thursday, 04 August, 2016)
Gardena Buddhist Church Bon Odori practice starts in June, starting at 7:00 pm in the evening. Please come to... [Details]

(Friday, 05 August, 2016)
Lahaina Hongwanji Mission Annual Obon Festival, Service and Dance at the Lahaina Hongwanji Mission. This... [Details]

10) 2016 - Las Vegas Buddhist Sanga 28th Annual Obon Festival & Bon Odori - Clark High School (Saturday Only) [Confirmed] (Saturday, 06 August, 2016)
Las Vegas Buddhist Sanga Bon Odori - Fabulous Raffle Prizes!  Come and help us celebrate our Annual OBON... [Details]

(Saturday, 06 August, 2016)Newly Listed
The community is invited to enjoy the 2016 San Diego Bon Odori, a traditional Japanese Nenbutsu folk dance,... [Details]

12) 2016 Buddhist Temple of San Diego Obon Festival & Odori (Saturday Only) (Saturday, 06 August, 2016)
Buddhist Temple of San Diego Obon Festival outdoor festivities begin with music, cultural displays, food... [Details]

13) 2016 Lahaina Hongwanji Mission Obon Festival, Maui Hawaii (Friday & Saturday) Games for Kids, Food, Crafts & Bon Odori.. (Saturday, 06 August, 2016)
Lahaina Hongwanji Mission Annual Obon Festival, Service and Dance at the Lahaina Hongwanji Mission. This... [Details]
 
14) 2016 Palo Alto Buddhist Temple Bazaar & Obon Odori (PABT) (2 Days - Different times) Japanese Food, Bookstore, Arts and Crafts, Baked Goods.. (Saturday, 06 August, 2016)
Palo Alto Obon Festival features Bon Odori (folk dancing), live music and taiko, flowers, carnival games,... [Details]


15) 2016 San Luis Obispo Buddhist Church Obon Festival - St. Patrick's School (Saturday Only) Live Taiko, Japanese Food, Crafts, Bon Odori Dancing.. (Saturday, 06 August, 2016)
Music, Japanese Food, Crafts, Bonsai, Martial Arts, Taiko, and items for sale from various vendors. At 6:30... [Details]

(Saturday, 06 August, 2016)
The Buddhist Church of Stockton will be holding its annual Japanese Food Festival and Bon Odori on the... [Details]

(Saturday, 06 August, 2016)
Obon is an annual Japanese festival commemorating one's ancestors. Traditionally it was believed that each... [Details]

(Sunday, 07 August, 2016)Newly Listed
The community is invited to enjoy the 2016 San Diego Bon Odori, a traditional Japanese Nenbutsu folk dance,... [Details]

(Sunday, 07 August, 2016)
Palo Alto Obon Festival features Bon Odori (folk dancing), live music and taiko, flowers, carnival games,... [Details]

(Sunday, 07 August, 2016)
The Buddhist Church of Stockton will be holding its annual Japanese Food Festival and Bon Odori on the... [Details] More

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