Oh-bone

I don't remember ever going to obon festivals while growing up. My family wasn't too into the temple scene, and I guess I grouped it into the same mental category of generic JA community gatherings, along with Nisei Week and the Chibi-K Fun Run. The only stuff that registered in my mind about these events was that there was food booths and game booths, and it usually meant a lot of time walking around.

When I started getting exposed more to Japanese American culture in college, obon became an actual celebration, an experience I could share with friends. We would go "obon-hopping" to different festivals throughout California, eating teriyaki and udon and taiyaki, soaking up the evening sun, taking in taiko performances, and dancing into the night. My favorite time during obon was definitely during the odori: as they lit the lanterns while dusky tones settled in close to the horizon, everything just seemed so beautiful. From the bright colors on yukata and hapi coats to the families just sitting and watching from the sidelines to the summer breeze gently meandering between all the dancers, it all culminated in this moment that I wanted to freeze and keep with me.

I guess that moment stood out to me initially because of the sensory experience of it all, plus the good memories I had made, but now I think it's starting to signify something else. While obon festival traditionally honors one's ancestors (thank you Wikipedia), I see a lot of folks honoring the families and friends that are still present. The feeling of community and shared experiences at obon is unlike anything else I've seen, and it spans across generations and ethnic backgrounds. I can only wonder, then, what it's like to attend obon at a temple you've grown up with, where you actually belong to that community year round instead of just popping in during the summer months with your own group of friends. Or beyond that, what is it like to go to festivals in small towns in Japan, where all the folks are your neighbors and you know everyone's names? I want to find out.