Sustainability learnings from Japanese event for ancestors, “Obon”

Have you ever heard of “Obon?” It is one of the traditional events held in the summer in Japan. During this period, people invite the spirits of ancestors who have returned to this world to make generous offerings to them, and the tradition is practiced throughout Japan.

While Obon is passed down as part of traditional Japanese culture, it contains many elements of sustainable living.

Offerings of natural origin

During Obon, people build altars for ancestors. A horse and a cow are decorated as a vehicle for the souls of the ancestors to travel between this world and the afterlife. They are made out of cucumber and eggplant and symbolize the wish for ancestors’ souls to return to this world as fast as horses and return to the afterlife slowly as an ox.

In some areas, offerings of plants called “Misohagi,” bush clovers which were used to be used for purifying, and “Mizunoko,” a lotus leave garnished with washed rice and small slices of cucumbers and eggplants, are also made. These offerings are placed on a rug made of grass called Makomo, a Poaceae species. All of these offerings are made from natural materials and are sustainable in that they can all be returned to nature.

Bon Odori to revitalize the community

“Bon Odori,” a dance performed at the local festival in this season to welcome and send off ancestors’ souls, brings locals together and revitalizes the community. Because of the simplicity of the dance, anyone from small children to the elderly can jump in and join in the dance together.

In addition, people who have left home and become independent can return to their parents’ homes during Obon Festival and participate in the local Bon Odori, reuniting them with old friends and neighbors and deepening friendships across generations.

Humility to remember gratitude

During Obon, we thank our deceased ancestors and the elders of our living family members and celebrate our family’s safe and sound existence. Although there are many theories about the meaning and origin of Obon, this custom of honoring ancestors and long-lived relatives can be found in Shinto religion and Confucianism before Buddhism was introduced to Japan and is a concept that has taken root in Japan since ancient times.

We are grateful for what the deceased has built and pass them on to the next generation. Such a humble way of thinking may provide a hint for creating a sustainable society.