You Light Up My Rife: Obon III

Okay, it’s August 15, and the third day of Obon, the Festival of the Dead. Because I’m still hung-over from actually being there 19 years ago, I’m going to keep this blog entry brief—for me.
I’m still unsure how I got there, but it was 24 hours after Hanazaki-san’s Ghostbuster episode, and 48 hours after I helped make a sake seller rich.
I may traveled with Kanemaru-san that evening—I don’t know—but when I awoke from haze, I found myself beside the Ohtawara River (it may have been a reflection).
I want you all to know that after stumbling across this river that wove through the downtown area of Ohtawara a scant two weeks after arriving in town, I never noticed it again.
But that evening, I saw hundreds of paper lanterns—each holding a lit candle—float down the river. Floating paper lanterns are called toro nagashi.
The utilization of lanterns are an important part of Obon, as one of the functions is to place one at the entrance of a home to guide the spirits of ancestors there (remember, in the Japanese version of Hell, the dead are blind, and the flame’s heat helps act as an attractor. This may be the origin of the phrase ‘keeping the home fires burning’, which coincidentally or not, is called mukaebi.
As for the floating lantern, it is a way to send the spirits off—back to Hell, as it were. Personally, I don’t buy that, as the spirits aren’t actually sent away until the 16th. It’s my guess/belief that the living utilize the lanterns to offer a remembrance prayer for the dearly departed in anticipation of their return trip the next day.
All I can tell you is that it was a beautiful sight and if I was anything but an idiot, I’d have photos to share with you. To be honest, I wasn’t that good at night photography even with a flash.
After viewing this beautiful ceremony, I stumbled around the nearby park, and watched some Japanese folk dancing (bon odori) that is quite similar to Morris dancing (click on the word). Essentially, the dancers wear a light summer kimono (yukata) and dance in a circle with taiko drums helping to keep the beat.
Being a semi-legend after only two weeks in the town, I was of course instantly recognized and forced to join in the dancing. I’ll spare you the gory details, but there is a reason disco is dead. I watched the other dancers and tried to mimic the simple dance steps, but like a Hawaiian dance, while the feet shuffle, the hands tell a story.
I failed miserably at dancing, but wonder of wonders, no one cared and everyone seemed to accept me as part of their extended family simply because I was there.
I have many memories of Japan: most of them good, some sad, and a few are in a drunken haze. And, there are still others like this one which still give me a warm feeling all over when I recall it.
Having been a nerd all my life, never quite fitting in anywhere, and not being very happy, it was illuminating to travel halfway around the world to discover the kindness of strangers here in Ohtawara. They made me feel… happy.
Somewhere on Clouds 1 through 9,
Andrew Joseph
PS: Back to the comedy in the next installment. I guess all of this death stuff has made me a tad melodramatic.
PPS: Title sung by Debbie Boone.