Hello World!!!
Today we are going to go back to Asia, to enjoy one of the most profound traditions of Japan. The Obon Festival are three days (typically in mid August) were people believe that their ancestor´s spirits come back to their homes to be reunited with the family. This tradition typically Buddhist, has nowadays become a tradition of almost all families.
During the days of the festival, families gather to clean the graves of their ancestors; they also clean their houses and place a variety of food offerings (fruits, vegetables…).
The first day of Obon, Cochin lanterns (type of Japanese paper lantern made of bamboo) are lit up inside houses and people go the grave of their ancestors spirits to call them back home (this is called mukae-bi. On the last day of the festival, people bring their ancestor´s spirits back to their graves by hanging the cochin lantern to guide them (this is called okuri-bon).
Other traditions that can be experienced during the Obon festival are the Toro nagashi, which are the floating lanterns where people send off their ancestor´s spirits with the lanterns lit by a candle to float in the river or the ocean. Another important activity which is held in this festival are the folk dances called bon odori where people reunite to dance.
This festival sound very special because it helps remember the ones who are not here but not in a mourning way, but as a celebration of the living.
Watch this video of the Toro nagashi celebration where lanterns find their way floating in the river, it is very beautiful!
References:
http://gojapan.about.com/cs/japanesefestivals/a/obonfestival.htm
Celebrating CULTURES 
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