Okinawan Obon: An Island People's Unique Way of Remembering Ancestors
Each August, Japan celebrates Obon, a time meant to bring remembrance to one’s ancestors and briefly welcome them back to the mortal world. People across Japan travel to their hometowns to spend time with family and visit cemeteries to hold ceremonies for deceased family members and share delicious meals. It is a time to honor family, both past and present.
Not all of Japan follows the same schedule and rituals, however. In mainland Japan, the holiday is observed based on the solar calendar and therefore falls in August. In Okinawa, the celebrations can take place anytime between mid-July and early September. That’s because Obon in Okinawa is celebrated according to the lunar calendar. In fact, Obon is often referred to as Kyuubon and is also called Shichiguachi in the local Okinawan language, meaning 7th month. As is the case in mainland Japan, Okinawans celebrate Obon over the course of three days.
The first day, unke, is a day of welcoming. This is when one’s ancestors are thought to return. Families visit gravesites and light lanterns to guide the spirits of their deceased relatives back home. They also leave their doors and windows open for them, gathering around the butsudan, or family altar, at the eldest son’s home. Here, they leave offerings of mochi, fruit, sake, beer, sweets, and sugarcane stalks. The latter are left as walking sticks for the spirits as they make their way home from the heavens.
The second day, nakanuhi, is a day for preparation and exchanging gifts. Families prepare the food they’ll share the following day and give each other gifts, known as ochugen. These are typically foods or household goods sold in sets throughout the islands, specifically for this holiday. Some families like to keep their celebrations small and private, limiting them to only direct family, while others will also go around sharing gifts with neighbors and friends. That is, except for the eldest son’s family! They’re responsible for staying home, caring for the altar, and overseeing the food preparation. There always needs to be a family member there to welcome any returning spirits and make sure the butsudan is not lacking in offerings!
The third day, ukui, is the final and most significant day of the Okinawan Obon celebrations. On this day everyone gathers around the altar where they share stories, pray together, and offer each other drinks (this includes one’s ancestors.) Ukui is also a day of music and dancing, especially the Okinawan bon odori eisa. All of this is a way of saying farewell to the spirits who have come to visit and escorting them back to the heavens. A feast of all the food prepared the previous day usually runs far into the night.
In the end, once the prayers have been said and food shared, yellow-colored paper called uchikabi, along with food, letters, and small gifts for one’s ancestors, are placed in a large bowl. The contents are then burned before being doused with sake so that when the spirits leave, they may make use of these gifts. Finally, the bowl is placed outside the gate or fence of the family home so the spirits may return to the land of the dead.
About the author:
Kevin Kilcoyne
The spark that lit Kevin Kilcoyne’s interest in Japanese culture began in elementary school through a friendship with his then classmate Keisuke. Since then, that passion has evolved and bloomed to encompass more than just video games and manga, leading Kevin to live in Japan as a participant of the JET program. During his time in Japan, Kevin sought out as many foods as he could, the experiences and taste memories lingering long after they had gone. Now he is forging a path to link his passions for Japanese food, history, and visual culture and is planning for his return to live in Japan once again. For now, you can find Kevin on Instagram (@waruishouten) where he posts his photography and illustration work. Keep an eye out for more posts and updates as Kevin delves more deeply into his passions for writing and food.
