Okinawans observe centuries-old tradition

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Maeson L. Elleman
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  Many Okinawans will celebrate a centuries-old Buddhist holiday called Obon, Aug. 22-24.

Obon is held to celebrate life among family members, and to reunite with the spirits of families' ancestors.

Each year, Okinawans pay homage to their passed relatives with praying, Eisa dancing, singing and dining with them as a tradition passed on for approximately 500 years.

"I always enjoy it because everybody gets together and there are many good foods," said Junko Kinjo, 18th Wing Public Affairs photographer.

Family members first gather to signal to their ancestors that they will soon enjoy a short visit by cleaning their tombs several days before the special occasion.

The first day begins with "unkeh," when family members welcome their ancestors' spirits into the house where the "butsudan," or altar, has been prepared with incense and adorned with the "ihai," or spirit tablet.

Food, drinks and other offerings are placed in the butsudan such as sake, fruit, tea, water and flowers to welcome the guests. A bundle of 13 short pieces of sugar cane and a long, uncut cane are also placed on the side of the altar. The long piece is said to be used as a walking stick by the spirits as they leave the house and return to their tombs.

Traditionally, the Okinawans light candles or lanterns to lead the spirits home, brightening up doorways for miles around.

"We use lanterns and candles and also offer fruits to decorate the altar," said Keiko Toma, 18th Wing Public Affairs community relations specialist.

Family members stand in front of their homes to greet the spirits as darkness falls over the island. Then, the family dines on a porridge-like meal known as "jushi," and offers the jushi to the spirits of their deceased relatives.

During the second night, "nakabi," ancestors are offered three meals. The day is dedicated to family members visiting with relatives and apologizing to their ancestors for not communicating for so long. They pray for forgiveness and offer gifts to the spirits. The gifts were generally tea and tobacco in the past, but daily necessities are also offered.

The third and final day of Obon is "Ukui," where the highlight of the holiday, the farewell dinner, is carefully prepared and placed before the butsudan into a special box called the "jyubako" as a final offering for the spirits along with sake, tea and other special foods. While preparing the many delicacies of the meal, the family also prepares the "minnuku," a special meal made of grass or scraps of food that's given to any bad spirits or homeless, floating spirits who the ancestors might meet on the way back to the tomb.

To ensure that the spirits will have no needs as they cross back over into their world, "uchikabi," money made of paper and stamped with the shape of a coin by a hammer and iron mold, is placed on the jyubako. While most offerings are made in pairs or in a package, the countable foods like the sugar cane are always given in odd-number increments.

Everyone comes together in front of the butsudan as the meal is prepared, and the incense is burned while the family gives thanks for their good health and prays for the safety, happiness, and prosperity of the family in the year to come.

After the meal, men sing and play a banjo-like instrument made of snakeskin, called the "samisen." Just before midnight the ancestral spirits are bade "farewell," and the paper money is burned by the head of the family and his sons. They douse the ashes with tea and sake, and place the souvenir foods and the minnuku on the ground at the gate. They pray so the spirits can return to the tomb safely and come back again the next year. The prayer marks the end of Obon and the beginning of more Eisa dancing.

"We perform the dance in the summer time, a few weeks prior and after Obon, but during Obon is the main period," said Ms. Toma.

Traffic just before, during and after Obon in major areas will be highly constricted due to families visiting one another for the holidays. Travel times may take longer than usual. Airman are advised to plan accordingly.

As a sign of respect to the Okinawans during Obon, the 18th Wing will reduce flight operations during the holiday.

"We appreciate the significance of the observance of Obon to our Okinawan neighbors," said Col. David S. Nahom, the 18th Wing Operations Group commander. "The 18th Wing has scheduled no flight training for this period and only mission-critical flights will be permitted from other locations."

The 18th Wing recognizes Obon as a major Okinawan holiday, and is showing its respect during this period.

"We do whatever we can within mission constraints to minimize the impact of our operations on the local community," said Colonel Nahom.