At Haruhi-en Tsuwano.
In Japan, there is a custom that in midsummer season, from August 12 to 15 usually, people offer special prayers to their ancestors. It is believed that during this period, their spirits come visit us to spend some peaceful time together. It is the idea of Obon.
So, our residents’ family members who live in faraway places returned home for Obon holiday this year too, and some came visit our Haruhi-en for family reunion. To us, it is always a wonderful, grateful moment to be part of it.
As an Obon event, we made offerings to the spirits, as seen in the photos below. Those are the cucumber thing, eggplant thing, and some sweet rice dumpling in the plate. Generally, the cucumber thing is regarded as a horse for spirits to ride when coming to our world from their plane. Then, the eggplant thing is to carry their gifts for their offspring. But, there are different stories, ways and beliefs about how, depending on families and places they live. As for sweet rice dumpling, for example, someone says, “we use toasted soybean flour.” Other says, “we make tansy leaf rice dumpling.” In Izumo area, bamboo leaf is used instead.
Anyway, there is the regional diversity of the Obon even though we share the same culture, and it is very fascinating!
