BON ODORI

WENT THERE WITH


milk zai
Sun Sun
Jian Teng


^^


i swear

i wil get a KIMONO for myself for the next year BON ODORI !!!

cute!!!

she so small XD

while waiting JT get us some food XD

miss go drink !!

XD

Bon Odori originated from the story of Mokuren who was Buddha’s disciple.

He used his supernatural powers to search for his deceased mother and discovered that she had fallen into the Realm of the Hungry Ghosts and was suffering.

He went to the Buddha and asked how he could release his mother and was instructed to make offerings to the Buddhist monks who had just completed their summer retreat on the 15th day of the seventh month.

Mokuren did this and saw to his mother’s release. He also saw the true nature of her past unselfishness and the many sacrifices she had made for him and he danced in joy.

Brief History of "Bon" Festival

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July 15 (Lunar calendar), or August 15 (Solar calendar) is celebrated in Japan as "Bon" or Urabon, The Feast of Lanterns, especially by the Japanese Buddhists. It is said that during the year, on this day only, the iron pot in hell is opened for the deceased. Buddhist services are held at temples and private houses for ancestors, relatives and friends who died in the past, and particularly for those who passed away during the past year.

The particular feature of Obon is the offering of various foodstuff to the deceased, and of course all those who as emble for the service will partake of special food prepared for the day. This is because Obon originated in a Buddhist legend.

Obon used to be quite an important social event, and for attending the family Obon service, such persons engaged in works away from their native places invariably returned home. To factory and shop apprentices or household maids, Obon and January 15 were only two holidays in the whole year, when they were permitted to return home to their parents.

Eager to guide properly the spirits of ancestors on the day, it is customary to light lanterns at all houses. Some such lanterns were formerly very elaborate, especially made for the occasion. The most important feature of the service is the offering of food. Therefore to the ancestors are offered rice, vegetables, fruits, cakes, sweets and flowers. There are prepared special foods to be served to invited guests and friends. It is the spirit of giving food to fellow people that lies under this religious service. It is religious day, but also quite a ioyful social occasion.

In the Hiroshima area, colored paper lanterns are lighted at the ancestral graves. The white ones are for those who passed away during Aug. 16 of the previous year till Aug. 15 of this year.

"Toro-Nagashi" or lantern floating is the picturesque ending to the Obon service. To guide the ancestrial spirits back to the other world, littel floats are lighted with candles and floated down rivers or on the sea. People eagerly watch them float down the river or carried by the wind far away from the shore.

"Bon-Odori" or Bon dance, a religious folk dance, was originally given to comfort the spirit of the dead during the o-bon season. It is enjoyed by men, women, and even little children. It differs naturally according to locality, as each district has its own songs and styles of dancing. Recently many modern or even foreign songs and dances have been introduced to these programs. It is generally held in temple or shrine compounds sea or river shores or other convenient public places. A raised towerlike stand is erected and around the stand the people dance all night with the music.

thats all i get when i google it ^^