Bon Festival (Obon)

Bon Festival (Obon)

Bon Festival or Obon is celebrated on August 13 (dates stated may differ depending on the region). During this time, Japanese people come to “fetch” their ancestors and pay respects to them by spending time together with the family. On the 16th, they send off their ancestors back to their graves. Also during Obon, the Japanese people make cows and horses through cucumbers and eggplants. The reason for this is that these will be used by their ancestors as a form of transportation.

The Japanese people make these for a specific purposes; cucumber horses are used so that their ancestors can come back home to their living relatives as fast as possible so they can stay with them a little bit longer, and eggplant

cows are used so that the return of their ancestors back to heaven will be slow.

Nowadays, more and more people are becoming busy during Obon season, so it is really rare to see people doing this tradition.

You are quite lucky to see or experience this event.