obon in aomori

Friday, August 22, 2014

Mid-August is the celebration of Obon or Bon. Lanterns and lights are lit everywhere to commemorate ancestors and those who have passed. It is one of my favorite holidays here in Japan because the lanterns are so magical in the hot summer night.



Seiruji is not a historic site, surprisingly it dates to only 1982. But it received a lot of support and has very diligent care. The bronze Showa Big Buddha is certainly the centerpiece, especially with these beautiful lanterns.





The five story pagoda was modeled after Toji Temple in Kyoto and dates to only 1996. But as a testament to modern building techniques it has withstood even the major Tohoku Earthquake of 2011 in spite of being only miles from the epicenter while most five story pagodas throughout Japan's history have not weathered winds and quakes well. source





Our daughter loved the lanterns!


Photos by me, please credit if you share. Still working on that night photography ;) 
If you would like to visit the Showa Buddha yourself, you can find information here.

Parnassus said...

Hello Ann, It seems that Obon has some features in common with the Mid-Autumn festival that is coming soon in Taiwan. The Japanese presentation with the lanterns endows it with special beauty and meaning.
--Jim