Seasons of Remembrance Obon and Ohigan in Japan
Tracing Japan’s ancestral traditions beyond religious boundaries
Hello everyone,
Obon and Ohigan have just passed, marking the close of summer’s season of ancestor memorials in Japan. At these seasonal milestones, many people pause to remember their families and ancestors. What is striking is that even those who identify as non-religious, not only Buddhists, still treat Obon and Ohigan as important times of remembrance.
Why do the Japanese set aside days distinct from individual death anniversaries as nationwide occasions to honor the deceased? What do Obon and Ohigan truly mean, and what religious thought and cultural practices underpin them? And through these observances, how do the Japanese engage with their ancestors?
In this article, we introduce the culture of ancestor veneration deeply rooted in Japanese daily life. We will explore Ohigan, where astronomy and Buddhist thought intersect; Obon, when ancestral spirits are welcomed and sent off; and the evolving forms of remembrance in contemporary society.
Obon
Obon is Japan’s most widely observed event for honoring ancestors. The name is a shortened form of Urabon (盂蘭盆), which derives from the Sanskrit word ullambana, meaning “being hung upside down in torment.” The term was transliterated into Chinese and eventually introduced into Japan.
Origins and the Ullambana Sutra
The background of this observance lies in the Ullambana Sutra. One of the Buddha’s disciples, Maudgalyāyana (in Japanese, Mokuren), used his supernatural powers to search for his deceased mother. He discovered her suffering in the Realm of Hungry Ghosts (Gakidō).
What is the Realm of Hungry Ghosts?
In Buddhist cosmology, it is one of the six realms of rebirth. Beings who fall into this state are tormented by insatiable hunger and thirst. Food and drink turn to flames before they can consume them, leaving them in endless suffering.
Mokuren tried to offer food to his mother, but it burst into flames and she could not eat it. In grief, he turned to the Buddha, who instructed him: “On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, make offerings to the monks. Through this merit, your mother and seven generations of ancestors can be released from suffering.” Following this guidance, Mokuren performed the offerings, and it is said that his mother, along with his ancestors, was freed.
This story traveled from India through China to Japan, where it intertwined with indigenous ancestor beliefs and evolved into unique customs. The Japanese came to view Obon as the period when ancestral spirits return to this world, leading to traditions of welcoming them with mukaebi (welcoming fires) and seeing them off with okuribi (farewell fires).
Variations in Timing
Obon is not held nationwide on the same dates.
July Obon (mainly in Tokyo and some urban areas): July 13–16
August Obon (Month-Late Obon, the most common): August 13–16
Old-Calendar Obon (Okinawa and Amami Islands): observed around the 15th day of the seventh lunar month, sometimes falling in September
This regional diversity is one of the distinctive features of Japanese tradition.
Customs and Rituals
Obon involves a sequence of welcoming, hosting, and sending back ancestral spirits:
“Mukaebi and Okuribi: Fires lit in home gardens to welcome the spirits, or at cemeteries to guide them back. In some regions, these rituals are held on a larger scale—Kyoto’s grand ‘Gozan no Okuribi’ bonfires being the most famous example.”
Shōryō-uma (spirit animals): Cucumbers carved as horses and eggplants as cows, offered to help spirits come swiftly and return slowly.
Grave Visits: Families clean graves, offer flowers and incense, and pray. This remains the most familiar practice across households.
Bon Odori (folk dances): Dances passed down regionally, meant to comfort the spirits while also serving as community gatherings.
Tōrō Nagashi (floating lanterns): Lanterns released into rivers or the sea to send spirits back. Though regionally varied, it is one of the most evocative sights.
For summer visitors to Japan, Obon offers a chance to experience local culture. Bon Odori festivals and lantern ceremonies welcome participants, allowing even non-Buddhists and travelers to share in moments of remembrance and community.
Ohigan and Its Symbolism
Separate from Obon, Japan has another important tradition of ancestor remembrance: Ohigan, observed in both spring and autumn.
Ohigan is a uniquely Japanese custom, lasting seven days with the equinox day (spring or autumn) at its center. During these times, people honor their ancestors while also reflecting on Buddhist practice.
Astronomical Background and the Symbolism of the Sanzu River
Ohigan coincides with the equinoxes, when the sun rises due east and sets due west. Day and night are nearly equal, symbolizing natural balance.
In Japan, these days have long been believed to be when the distance between this world (shigan) and the other world (higan) is closest. Symbolically, the sun’s path is said to cross the Sanzu River, which separates the living from the dead, in the most direct line—making the banks feel nearest. While this is not an astronomical fact, it is a religious metaphor that shaped people’s understanding of the equinox as the most fitting time to reach out to their ancestors.
Thus, Ohigan is seen as more than a seasonal turning point—it is a period where the sun’s movement aligns with Pure Land thought, marking a special time to honor ancestors.
Buddhist Practice
Ohigan is closely tied to Buddhist practice. “Reaching the other shore” (higan) refers to the Six Pāramitās—charity, morality, patience, diligence, meditation, and wisdom. Beyond remembrance, Ohigan has been embraced as a time for self-reflection and cultivation of virtue.
Food offerings are also symbolic. In spring, families prepare botamochi (named after the peony, botan), larger round rice cakes; in autumn, they prepare ohagi (named after the bush clover, hagi), smaller oval cakes. Their shapes are said to represent the blossoms of the respective seasons. Regional traditions also determine whether they are made with smooth or coarse red bean paste.
Continuity in Practice
During Ohigan, many families visit graves to offer flowers and incense. Even those who do not consider themselves religious embrace this time as a natural occasion to remember their ancestors. Across Japan, Ohigan endures as both a cultural and spiritual practice, balancing remembrance with introspection.
Ancestor Veneration in Home and Society — Butsudan, Ihai, and Graves
In Japanese life, there are three principal places where ancestors are remembered: the butsudan (family altar), the ihai (memorial tablet), and the grave. Each plays a distinct role in sustaining the culture of ancestor veneration.
Butsudan (Family Altar)
The butsudan is a small altar installed in the home, often likened to a miniature temple. It enshrines the Buddhist principal image and the ihai, serving as a daily focus for remembrance. Flowers, incense, fruit, and sweets are offered, and prayers are said morning and evening. This simple daily act keeps ancestors close within family life.
Ihai (Memorial Tablet)
The ihai is a wooden tablet inscribed with the deceased’s posthumous Buddhist name or given name. It symbolizes the presence of the departed. In funerals and memorial services, the ihai is always placed before the officiating monk. Through it, ancestors are felt to remain alongside their families, linking generations.
Graves
Graves are where cremated remains are interred and also serve as physical spaces for remembrance. Visiting graves—cleaning them, offering flowers and incense, and praying—remains central to Japanese practice. Obon and Ohigan, in particular, are major times for families to gather at gravesites.
Historically, gravestones and memorial practices developed alongside the adoption of the ihai in medieval Japan. Today, traditional graves coexist with new alternatives such as columbaria, perpetual memorial graves, tree burials, and even sea burials. Social changes, including declining family size and urban migration, have also given rise to “grave closures” (haka-jimai), where families relocate remains to more manageable memorial options.
Enduring Spirit
The forms of remembrance may change, but what endures is the spirit of gratitude. Whether through a butsudan at home, an ihai, a family grave, or newer digital and communal practices, the Japanese continue to cherish the act of remembering and honoring their ancestors.
The Meaning and Challenges in Contemporary Japan
Obon, Ohigan, and the trio of butsudan, ihai, and graves have shaped Japanese life for centuries. Yet their forms are shifting in response to modern realities.
Religious Identity and Practice
Surveys show that many Japanese identify as non-religious. Still, the majority continue to observe Obon and Ohigan with grave visits and offerings. This highlights a uniquely Japanese cultural consciousness of honoring ancestors, transcending formal religious affiliation.
Moreover, Obon is a nationwide holiday period, when most companies close for several days, enabling people to return to their hometowns. Likewise, the Autumnal Equinox is a national holiday, officially recognized as a day to remember and respect ancestors. In this way, these observances are embraced as cultural traditions by Japanese society as a whole, regardless of individual religious beliefs.
New Forms of Memorialization
At the same time, demographic and social shifts make maintaining traditional graves difficult for many families. Alternatives such as columbaria, communal memorials, tree burials, and scattering of ashes are increasingly chosen.
Digital Remembrance
In recent years, innovations such as online memorial services and digital ihai have appeared. These allow family members separated by distance—even across countries—to participate in rituals of remembrance.
What Remains Unchanged
Though the forms evolve, the essence remains the same: the determination not to forget the deceased and to express gratitude. Whether through traditional graves, modern alternatives, or digital practices, the Japanese continue to nurture the spiritual bond with their ancestors.
Editor’s Diary
As someone born and raised in Japan, I was surprised to discover how much I did not know until I researched this article in detail. As a child, Obon simply meant family gatherings and offering prayers to our ancestors. Learning that its background reaches back to Indian sutras and Buddhist thought was eye-opening.
I also came to realize how much regional variation exists. In this article I introduced the “general” forms of Obon and Ohigan, but in my hometown of Hokkaidō, it is customary to cook red rice (sekihan) during Ohigan, a tradition also found in parts of Tōhoku. Such regional differences enrich the broader culture of remembrance.
However diverse the customs, what unites them is the same spirit: to honor and thank our ancestors. I believe that both Obon and Ohigan will remain deeply meaningful traditions, carried forward in Japanese life for generations to come.
Thank you very much for reading to the end.
In our next article, we will share a story about the deities of my home region, Hokkaido. Accompanied by photographs from a climb in the magnificent Daisetsuzan Mountains, we hope to convey the beauty and spirit of this sacred landscape. We hope you will look forward to our next story.
This article was really fascinating, thank you so much.