Times Of TIU

Writer: Blazee
Editor: Trang D.

Festivals are considered to be ceremonies that are often carried out on a set day or time every year. Every country has its own sacred festivals that bear that country’s essence and reflect parts of the culture. Each festival has its own beliefs and purposes. For Japanese people, Obon is regarded as one of the most sacred and important festivals of the year.

Obon festival is a nationwide cultural event that falls in August and lasts for 3 days. During the festival period, everybody goes back to their hometown or meets with relatives to help prepare for and hold the Obon ceremony. I had a quick interview with Maga (J-track student), and according to her, during the Obon time, it is widely believed that the souls of their passed-away ancestors would return to their sacred butsudan (a place to commemorate the passed-away members in a family). Family members come together and send prayers to the soul of ancestors, wishing that they would be having a peaceful after-life and also letting them know about everyone’s well being. Obon Festival is not just about paying tributions to those who have parted with us, but it is also a great chance for family members from different areas of living to gather and update each other about their lives, which normally they hardly can do due to the living distance as well as busy schedule. This also strengthens the internal relation of the family members. Distance does make the heart grow fonder, doesn’t it?

The ceremony can also be a good opportunity for youngsters to learn about their traditions and meet distant family members and relatives. They get to meet their hometown friends and go out on trips or relive their childhood memories. According to Nao and Sai (also J-track students), different places and different families may have different ways to execute the ceremony. Some families stay at home and hold the whole ceremony and gathering inside, while others may go to a shrine. But everything comes down to worshiping their ancestors and cleaning their graves as a form of respect and belief in the afterlife. After the ceremony is over, some people go back to their work immediately as they need to, some choose to stay for a few more days to spend more time with other long-distance relatives. 

Above is a brief explanation of one of Japan’s sacred traditions, the “Obon Festival”. In your home country, is there any ceremony to honor the spirit of the ancestors or any occasion where distant relatives all gather around?