Okinawans celebrate O-bon this week

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Zade C. Vadnais
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  O-bon, an annual Buddhist tradition more than 500 years old, reunites living family members with the spirits of their deceased ancestors for three days. It will be celebrated throughout Okinawa Aug. 8-10.

Traffic before, during and after O-bon in larger areas will likely be heavy due to families visiting each other during the holiday. Airmen are advised to take this into consideration when making weekend plans as travel may take longer than usual.

As a sign of respect to our Japanese neighbors, the 18th Wing plans to reduce flight operations during O-bon.

Family members will gather to clean areas surrounding family tombs in the days leading up to O-bon to show their ancestors they will soon be able to spend time with their living relatives.

"During O-bon, my father, my mother, their children, their grandchildren, and relatives get together, share good news and chat how we are doing, pray for the spirits of ancestors at an altar, and appreciate what our ancestors have done for being what we are now," said Hideaki Sakihama, 18th Wing Public Affairs community relations specialist. "It is a precious event that we spend the time with spirits of our ancestors, show respect to them, and live in continuity."

On the first day, known as "unkeh," families welcome the spirits of their ancestors into the house where offerings of fruit, tea, water, sake and flowers are presented on a "butsudan," or altar. Okinawans usually light candles or lanterns to lead the spirits home, waiting in front of the house to greet the spirits as the sun sets.

The families then share a meal of "jushi," a dish similar to porridge, and offer the meal to the spirits of their ancestors as well.

The second day of O-bon is called "nakabi,"during which families traditionally offer their deceased ancestors three meals and spend the day with living family members and friends. They pray for forgiveness for not communicating with their ancestors and offer gifts to the spirits.

"Ukui," the final day of O-bon, is the highlight of the celebration. Family members prepare a special farewell dinner for their visiting ancestors, which is carefully prepared and placed in front of the butsudan in a special box called "jyubako." In addition to the food prepared for the ancestors, families prepare "minnuku," a special meal of grass or food scraps made for any bad or wandering spirits their ancestors may encounter on the way back to their tomb.

Just before midnight, the family bids farewell to the spirits of their ancestors and place the jyubako and minnuku on the ground by the gate of their homes. They then pray for the spirits to return safely to their resting place and come back to visit again next year.