Japanese Lanterns, by lwdphoto via flickr
Obon started tonight. We just got back from getting coffee, and during our bicycle ride home, the entire city smelled sweetly like smoke. We cycled past a few families who were beginning to light small fires at the entryways to their homes. This is part of the Buddhist tradition that invites departed family member's spirits home for the weekend. People also turn on special lanterns, "chochin" that guide the spirits in their journey home (this is a really heavy travel weekend for the living too, as most everyone is going back to their parent's house to be all together.) People also visit their actual family graves and make food offerings over this weekend.
many years ago, this is what it must have looked like
1 comment:
cool! I have never heard of that, it must be so cool to live and experience a whole different culture.
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