BON
(ALL SOUL'S DAY)
Bon is the Japanese translation for the Sanskrit "Ulambana," a word with the original meaning of "terrible affliction." In Japan Bon is celebrated as the day when the spirits of departed ancestors return, with various activities held to provide a warm welcome.
Bon Odori (Bon Dancing)
A ritual dance held to welcome back the spirits of the dead.
People wear lightweight cotton gowns (yukata), form a circle
and dance to the rhythm of festival music known as hayashi.
Paving a visit to the ancestral
grave is another important part of Bon.
Bon falls on July 15 on the lunar calendar, but today the occasion
is normally celebrated according to the solar calendar on August
15.