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Daily Life: Festival
Summer: Bon Festival
Celebrated in the middle of either July or August, the Buddhist Bon Festival honors the spirits of ancestors who return home to their families for three days. A methodical ritual, Bon begins with the pouring of water over the gravestones. Families light lanterns by both the graves and the homes to guide the spirits. At the family altar, a ritual meal is set for the ancestors. On the last day, lantern boats are lit and placed into lakes as a gesture of farewell. The climax of the festival ends with the bon-odori, a dance intended for the rejoicing and consoling of the departed spirits.
Fall: Autumn Festivals
Among the oldest Japanese festivals take place during the fall. Inspired by Shinto, the original pantheistic religion of Japan, many of the folk deities are honored in September, October, and December. The festivals usually take place under the sponsorship of a local shrine, which a local spirit visits and takes up residence every year. On the festival day, the spirit is housed in portable shrines and paraded through local streets.
Winter: New Year's Festival
On midnight December 31st, Japan ushers in the New Year by way of 108 strokes of the bells, symbolic of the Buddhist idea that a man has 108 cares. A nation-wide celebration, New Year's is a sign of rebirth and renewal. At the year's ends, homes are cleaned for good fortune, debts paid to uphold one's reputation, and foods are prepared to celebrate. Lasting several days, the New Year's Festival is a mix of games, gatherings, and sports.
In the picture above, two women, dressed in winter kimonos and high geta sandals for walking in the snow, take a stroll in winter.
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