Shizuoka – O-Bon

Shizuoka – O-Bon

The O-Bon or Bon only (the O is an honorary prefix) is a Buddhist feast to honor the ancestors and also to ease the suffering of those in hell. However, O-Bon has also developed into a family festival, in which all of them meet and celebrate. The graves are also visited and specially well-kept.
The festival lasts three days and is held on the 13th – 16th July or 13-16th August. This comes from the fact that the one now celebrates in the seventh month according to the Gregorian calendar (July) or the old lunar calendar (August). When and where is celebrated is different, but in the east rather in July and in the west rather in August, but this seems to change as the days seem to be more laid in the August during the holidays.
The O-Bon also includes festive dances, although there are also (regional) differences.

The O-Bon Fest which I had visited last week at a great temple in Shizuoka had no great dances, at least not in the period when I was there.
Nevertheless, a stage was set up on which traditional Japanese songs or dances were performed, such as a fan dance.
A miniature firework was also shown. The O-Bon also includes the many lanterns, which are suspended all over the site and even hang in rows in rows.

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