Obon (お盆) is a Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the spirits of one's ancestors. 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, and when the spirits of ancestors are supposed to revisit the household altars. It has been celebrated in Japan for more than 500 years and traditionally includes a dance, known as Bon-Odori.
In Sasebo, the ancestors that have died just this past year get a "ship" or "boat" built in their honor. It is carried down the streets of Sasebo and to this park where they set off fireworks everywhere and dance with their floats. They are all decorated with the traditional lanterns, flowers, paper origami and many more items. The bigger the boat the more wealthy and important the family is. This photo of one is a mid sized one.
This is the park where they're all parked. You have to watch where you step because they are lighting off fireworks everywhere!
This was the biggest "boat" of the night! The elephant on the very front is a very popular chain grocery store throughout Japan. We are guessing the person that passed was an owner or founder of the store. YES, those are fire works under the boat that the guys are about to walk over!!!!!
The beautiful Albuquerque Bridge during Obon Festival!
The festival ends with Toro Nagashi, or the floating of lanterns. Paper lanterns are illuminated and then floated down rivers symbolically signaling the ancestral spirits' return to the world of the dead.
My dear friend Ema put a lantern in the water for her grandmother that passed away this year. I got an amazing photo of it's bright red heart floating on by.
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