Bon/Obon : Augusut 9, 2009

Bon (or Obon) is a Japanese Buddhist custom concerning the spirits of ancestors. It takes place around August 15 in many areas all over Japan.

The main custom of Obon is visiting the graves of the ancestors, but customs vary by area.

In many areas, they make a horse and a cow called “shouryouuma” with a cucumber and an eggplant to welcome the ancestors. Shouryou means spirit, and uma means horse. They are the spirits’ conveyances between our world and the afterworld. The cucumber represents a fast-running horse; the spirits use it in their journey to arrive in our world early. The eggplant represents a slow-moving cow; the spirits use it to travel back to their world late.

However, there are many people who don’t visit the graves or participate in the ceremonies. They go out for a trip because many companies are closed around bon, and they take advantage of this opportunity.

Almost 50,000 people departed from Narita Airport yesterday, and they stay abroad for about a week.
Like Golden Week, all leisure venues and almost all Shinkansen trains are full of people. Expressways are full of cars, and plane tickets are more expensive during bon.

You should avoid Bon when you come to Japan for the same reasons as Golden Week.

Thank you.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bon_Festival
Koir and Nathan, thanks for correcting my English.