When is the Japanese Obon Festival? 2017 Japanese Obon Festival Schedule

When is Obon in Japan? In Japan, Obon is also known as Ghost Festival. The status of Obon in Japan is equivalent to China's Qingming Festival and Spring Festival. Next, let’s take a look at when Japan’s Obon Festival is.

When is Obon Festival in Japan?

1. The time of Obon Festival in different regions of Japan is different. It is usually held from August 13th to 16th in the Gregorian calendar: tomb sweeping is done before the 13th, the ghosts of ancestors are welcomed on the 13th, and sent off on the 16th.

2. Japan's Obon Festival has a long history. It was introduced to Japan from China during the Sui and Tang dynasties during the Asuka period. According to the Nihon Shoki, Empress Suiko (606 AD) started activities similar to the Obon Festival at that time.

3. Japan's Obon Festival is the same as China's Zhongyuan Festival. China's Zhongyuan Festival is on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month every year, so Japan's Obon Festival was also on the 15th day of the seventh lunar month every year.

4. However, Japan adopted the new calendar during the Meiji Restoration, and many traditional Japanese festivals became based on the Gregorian calendar. Therefore, since the adoption of the new calendar on January 1, 1873, the Obon Festival has been celebrated around July 15 of the Gregorian calendar.

5. In 2017, Japan's Obon Festival is from August 11th to August 16th, with a total of 6 days of holiday. During this period, most Japanese will return to their hometowns to reunite, sweep tombs together, and offer sacrifices to their ancestors.

The Legend of Japan's Obon Festival

Japan's Obon Festival originated from the story of Mulian saving his mother in the Buddhist Tripitaka. Legend has it that Mulian went through untold hardships to reach the underworld, where he saw his dead mother being tortured by a group of hungry ghosts. Mulian used a bowl to carry vegetables and rice for his mother, but the hungry ghosts snatched it away. Mulian had no choice but to ask Buddha for help. Buddha was moved by his filial piety and gave him the Ullambana Sutra. Mulian followed the instructions in the sutra and used the Ullambana Basin to offer precious fruits and vegetarian food to his mother on July 15th every year. Hungry ghosts no longer dared to snatch the food away. To commemorate Mulian’s filial piety, Buddhists hold a grand “Yulanpen Festival” every year. Taoism also holds the "Zhongyuan Festival" on this day, offering food and burning ghost paper to give the homeless souls a full meal. This is what we now call "Ghost Festival".

Related Activities of Obon Festival in Japan

The Ullambana Festival was originally a day to commemorate ancestors and pray for their afterlife. During the festival, the souls of ancestors and deceased people would return home, and they would light up the streets to prevent them from getting lost. The Japanese attach great importance to the Obon Festival, which has become an important festival second only to New Year's Day. Enterprises and companies generally take a week off, called "Bon Kyu". Many Japanese who work away from home choose to use this holiday to return home to reunite and worship their ancestors. In addition to ancestor worship and tomb sweeping, Japan also has the custom of giving gifts during the Obon Festival. The timing of giving gifts on the Ghost Festival is also very particular. In eastern Japan, gifts are generally given from July 1st to 15th, while in western Japan, gifts are postponed by one month and given between August 1st and August 15th. In addition, during the Obon Festival, local governments or organizations in Japan will hold "Bon Odori" conferences, and the most important celebration activity is dancing "Bon Odori".