Obon, referred to as the Lantern Festival, is the time of the year when the Japanese honor their ancestors and departed loved ones. It is a Buddhist celebration originating in the seventh century which takes place in either July or August depending on the Lunar Calendar and lasts for several days.

In preparation for obon, the Japanese clean their homes and tend to their family grave sites. It is believed that during obon the deceased return home so lanterns are lit to light their way through the night. Offerings in the form of sake, rice cakes and fruit are also placed at the family alter which is usually a cabinet or special shelf in the home. On the last day of obon, special farewell rice cakes called okuri-dango are placed on the alter and the lanterns are lit to guide the spirits back to their world. Many parts of Japan celebrate this last day with the custom, toro-nagashi in which paper lanterns with the names of the departed written on them are fitted with candles and set upon a lake or waterway to light the way back to the spirit world.

Throughout the holiday, obon is also celebrated by special dances called Bon-odori and festivals called obon-matsuri which are colorful and are usually accompanied by drum and flute songs.