Obon is one of Japan's most important festivals and is celebrated over 3 days in mid-August or July depending on the region. During this time, Japanese people pay respect to their ancestors and loved ones who have passed away through many beautiful ceremonies.
Obon, sometimes just called Bon, is a Buddhist festival that celebrates the time when the spirits are able to return to Earth and be with their families.
This is a large family holiday and many Japanese people will travel to their family homes, clean the graves of ancestors, and leave offerings at Buddhist shrines. Although Obon is not a public holiday in Japan, most people take a few days off to celebrate.
When is Obon?

In Japan, Obon is mainly observed from August 13 to 15.
Traditionally, Obon is celebrated from the 13th to the 15th day of the 7th month of the lunar year. Today, the dates of the festival have been converted to a standard solar calendar date and while most regions of Japan celebrate from the 13th-15th of August, there are some regions that celebrate in July depending on their interpretation of the original lunar calendar.
Obon is a traditional festival and not an official holiday in Japan, but it is customary for people to be given leave, usually a 7–15 days' vacation, known as the Obon week.
Public transport may be busier than normal as many people take a vacation during this period and return to their family homes. It is also a time when tickets for flights and trains are more expensive.
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Alisa Liu is a star to work makes Asia Highlights even better
Alisa Liu was my contact person for Asia Highlights. She was remarkably punctual, she was thoughtful, and she handle an emergency on my end, with grace and patience. She recommended great hotels in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka Japan that put us in the center of the action. The guides she choose were personable, punctual a knowledgeable about their cities. More
Brent Zadorozny,
Oct 2023
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Excellent service
Started using Asia Highlights to plan my trip to Japan. Sharon was very helpful, giving me all the information I would need for the tour. I would definitely use Asia Highlights again, when planning another trip to Asia. More
Rachel Nelson,
Oct 2023
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Japan tour
Our airport pick-up went very smoothly. Our guide, Vivian, on the second day was very nice, very accommodating, took into account our preferences. In Osaka, our trip to the castle was a very long walk with lots of steps to climb and quite honestly wasn’t very interesting. But Dotonburi is a must-see and we enjoyed that very much.Our trip to Hiroshima was very memorable. I highly recommend it. Our guide, Etsuko, was very knowledgeable and kind. The trip to Miyajima island, on the other hand, wasn’t too memorable. Our next city, Kyoto, is a truly wonderful place to visit. All the temples we went to were very interesting and very distinctive from each other (Kinkakuji temple, Nijo castle, Sanjusangendo temple,Kiyumizo temple, Fushimi Inari shrine, Kasuga Taisha shrine, Tojaidi temple). The sake tour was a downer and wouldn’t recommend it.Our guide, Ritsuko, was a darling. She was very knowledgeable too and kind and warm and easy to talk to. Our last tour in Tokyo was a rainy day and Sue, our guide, was able to change our tour to the next day. She was so efficient and so accommodating and so kind and very knowledgeable too. More
Mrs Cristina Hidalgo Loris,
Oct 2023
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Very good tour of Japan
Very good tour around Japan for 10 days, including Tokyo, Hakone and Kyoto. Excellent guides and experiences. Albee, the tour organiser, was always available to sort out changes to itinerary or extra requests. More
Guy Slimmon,
Oct 2023
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Everything is good
All of the hotels were wonderful and our guides were super friendly, knowledgeable and flexible. We had a 10 day trip that included multiple cities and lots of different sights, we squeezed in as much as we could, including a 2 day hiking trip to Mt. Fuji (our guide Sun Nan was awesome!). Our guide in Tokyo, Jennifer, was lovely and our guide for 2 days in Kyoto, Dennis, was also super great. We did a food tour in Osaka with Vivian which was nice Sallie Fujimoto-Swun More
Ideale Tran,
Oct 2023
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Thank you for the wonderful experience…
Thank you for the wonderful experience we all truely enjoyed. From the beginning (making first contact with Sharon from Asia Highlights) to the end (Saying good bye to our amazing guide Lilly) the experience was top notch. Great communication while preparing the trip and excellent local knowledge of our tour guide. I can highly recommend Asia Highlights and would not hesitate to use them again for our next trip. More
Dany Gruosso,
Oct 2023
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Vacations in Japan
The guides Jessie and Vivian were very kind and professionals and the drivers as well. In a future vacation we will get in touch with Asia Highlights without a doubt. More
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Oct 2023
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Experience with Asia Highlights
This was my first time working with a travel agent to plan an international trip and because of the seamless experience I had, I have decided to always work with an agent when booking international trips. Asia Highlights did an amazing job in ensuring we found a trip that worked well for our budget and provided us with special experiences in Japan that exceeded our expectations. From travel logistics in Japan to lodging and activities, we felt taken care of. If I had known that travel agents were this helpful, I would have worked with them in my prior travels. I definitely plan to book my next trip to Asia with this agent. More
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Oct 2023
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Jason and Cathy from Asia Highlights…
Jason and Kathy from Asia Highlights did a great job for us. They were very responsive and professional. Hotel choices and attractions made for a wonderful first time trip to Japan. More
Norman and Mary Van Zante,
Sep 2023
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This was one of the best experiences in…
This was one of the best experiences in Travel that I have ever had... and I have traveled extensively. The reliability of the the driver and guide, the kindness each displayed (different people in different cities same result) and the flexibility to work with my family's requests was outstanding. I now wish for this experience where ever I may travel next! More
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Sep 2023
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Prompt response!
First and foremost, this review is based strictly on prompt response from Asia Highlights.I was browsing Asia Highlights website on the night of September 17th 2023 and really impressed of the positive reviews. So I decided to send an e-mail for an estimate of a private tour guide in Tokyo Japan for 6 days/7 nights including hotel accommodation for my 90-year-old father and I. I provided as much information as I can what areas of interest we would like to visit. I was really expecting a 72-hour delay response from Asia Highlights given time difference in California and Japan. The following day, I received an e-mail from Kate Long. Impressive! Kate provided a very detailed suggested itinerary with great consideration for my 90-year-old father. I truly appreciated her thoughtfulness! I will definitely reach out to Asia Highlights on our next trip! Thank you Kate! More
F K,
Sep 2023
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Perfectly planned and organized
Albee at Asia Highlights created a diverse, fun-filled itinerary for our trip. She listened carefully to our interests and made sure that we made the best use of our time in Japan. Our local guides, drivers and vehicles were excellent. Albee was always available to answer all my questions with a lightening fast response time. A very memorable experience and I would definitely book with Asia Highlights again. More
Carol Ann Paget Brown,
Sep 2023
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Sharon provided great service while…
Sharon provided great service while planning and booking our Japan trip! Unfortunately, we had to cancel due to family medical reasons. Sharon was very understanding of this and helped process the cancellation and refund in a very timely manner. When we are ready to book our trip again, I will certainly be reaching out to Sharon and Asia Highlights! More
Ali Tahir,
Sep 2023
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I just wanted to tell you how pleased…
I just wanted to tell you how pleased we were planning and coordinating our recent Japan trip with Alisa Liu. Alisa was responsive, answered questions in a timely manner despite our 15 hour time difference, and coordinated a trip for a 6 person multi-generational tour to everyone's satisfaction. (ages7-70!)We were particularly thankful for her help as 2 typhoons bore down on Japan during our stay. She helped us rearrange train and hotel reservations, and was able to get us a refund from a hotel that would not typically offer that. I have referred other friends to her with confidence. More
Berdine Bender,
Sep 2023
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Leah Stine
Not only Albee was great! Each of our guides and drivers were also a joy. Daniel was our first knowledgeable guide who spoke excellent English and was so much fun throughout the day. Jeremy was our guide for the next few days and he also was fun, flexible, and had so many interesting tidbits to share with us throughout the day. Kiko was our guide on the next leg of our journey. She had such a joyful sense of adventure and curiosity that was such a hoot. Vivian was also professional and very aware to what our needs were in the moment. Tian was incredibly flexible and when our plans literally changed when he picked us up, he showed great flexibility and took us to some really fun places at the last minute that were some of our best experiences. And finally Charlie was our last guide and he was so thoughtful and consistently anticipated our needs. By the time we realized we might need something, he would already have it taken care of. All of our guides were so thoughtful and conscious of either making sure we got time to ourselves or of being available right when we needed them. They were each fun and had their own personal flavor that they brought to the experience. We are so grateful for the consideration and flexibility that Asia Highlights showed us consistently and would highly recommend them for anyone interested in visiting Asia. Thank you so much! It was an amazing trip! More
Leah Stine,
Aug 2023
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Alisa is awesome!
We have been looking to go to Japan for a long time. The food, the culture, and the rich history have always intrigued us. We tried many times to set up pieces of the trip on our own, but couldn’t put together a sensible vacation. Then we found Asia Highlights and Alisa! She helped us tailor a remarkable adventure to Japan! She answered our many questions and shifted our itinerary to maximize our time in each city. I highly recommend Alisa to help you put together the trip of a lifetime. We are looking forward to our journey! More
Mark Linn,
Aug 2023
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Sharon has been very helpful since the…
Sharon has been very helpful since the beginning coordinating our itinerary in order to accommodate everything we want to see, it been great working with her More
May,
Jul 2023
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When I first book I was scared of what…
When I first book I was scared of what to expect, but oh my God! What an amazing experience this has been, from Sharon to all the guides Shawn and Mr. Ho, such amazing people! Their work is excellent More
Saul Velez,
Jul 2023
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Albee was very helpful and responsive…
Albee was very helpful and responsive in helping me make plans for their 10 day Japanese tour. More
Bhavini Patel,
Jul 2023
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Alisa was a perfect tour consultant
Alisa responded to my numerous questions with efficiency and accuracy. She was constantly suggesting options to make the trip more enjoyable More
Matha Goram,
Jul 2023
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What is Obon?
Obon is a yearly festival that is celebrated to remember and cherish one's ancestors. During this time, it is believed that all spirits return back to Earth and most families will leave offerings for their ancestor's spirits or hang lanterns to lead them home.
This festival is often compared to Mexico's Day of the Dead and China's Hungry Ghost Festival. The idea behind all of these holidays is quite similar. During Obon, people also clean and decorate the graves of their ancestors. While cleaning the graves, some may talk to their ancestors and update them on events that have occurred over the previous year including births and marriages.
Although this holiday may sound a little somber to Westerners, Obon is actually a happy and joyous festival filled with dancing, street food, and celebrations. The festival starts and ends with a large bonfire and throughout the holiday the streets are decorated with beautiful lanterns.
The Origins of the Obon Festival
The Obon Festival originates from the Buddhist story of Maha Maudgalyayana (Mokuren), a disciple of the Buddha.
He used his supernatural powers to look upon his deceased mother only to discover she had fallen into the Realm of Hungry Ghosts and was suffering.
He tired using his powers to feed food into his mother's mouth, only to see the food just fed into her mouth turn into charcoal.
Greatly saddened, he went to the Buddha and asked how he could relieve his mother's suffering. Buddha instructed him to make offerings to the many Buddhist monks who had just completed their summer retreat on the fifteenth day of the seventh month.
Mokuren did this and, thus, saw his mother's relief. He was happy and danced with joy. From this dance of joy comes Bon Odori or the "Bon Dance".
Traditions of Obon
Obon is the second biggest traditional holiday in Japan after Japanese New Year.
1. Sweeping Graves and Offering Sacrifices
People return to their hometowns from the cities and visit the graves of their ancestors to offer sacrifices, such as flowers and fruits.
The most distinctive offerings are cucumbers and eggplants made into the shapes of horses and cows respectively. They are known as spirit mounts for the ancestors.
The horse is fast, and the ox is slow. Therefore, when the first day of calling the spirits home comes, people offer cucumber horses, and when the last day of guiding the spirits back to their resting places comes, people offer eggplant cows. It expresses the people's hope that their ancestors will come back quickly and go away slowly.
In addition to sweeping tombs, people also place these offerings in front of Buddhist niches in their homes.
2. Bon Odori
Bon Odori, or the Bon dance, is a style of dancing performed during Obon in the night.
In the middle of a square is a platform on which, usually, someone leads a song and the participants dance around it to the beat of Japanese taiko drums. Participants traditionally wear yukatas, a kind of light cotton kimono.
3. Having Vegetarian Meals
During the festival, people eat vegetarian food for three meals a day.
There are also special requirements for the offerings at the Obon altar. Fish and meat are avoided. Food should be prepared to be directly edible. For example, grapes need to be washed and put in a bowl, and apples or pears need to be peeled and placed on a table.
4. Giving Gifts
People give gifts to show their gratitude to those who have taken care of them, including parents, friends, leaders, and colleagues. Gifts are usually given between August 1 and August 15.
How Obon is Celebrated
Obon is a time to be with family and celebrate loved ones. Many Japanese people return to their ancestral homes during this festival and because it is not a public holiday, most will take time off work. The most important part of the celebrations is honoring ancestors by leaving a variety of food offerings for them at Buddhist altars.
Before Obon begins, it is common to clean the homes and set out offerings to be prepared for when the spirits arrive.
On August 13th — Calling the Spirits Home
The first day of Obon is for guiding the spirits home. On this day, people will light paper lanterns and hang them in their homes and on doorways. It's also common to see red and white lanterns decorating the streets of most towns and cities. Families may also carry a lantern with them to the graves of family members in order to help guide them home.
Some regions light a giant fire called a mukaebi which is meant to welcome the spirits and families may also light a small bonfire at their homes. It's also common to create an altar for ancestors where offerings and small memorial tablets are placed.
On August 14th — Celebrations and Bon Dances
On this day, families may invite Buddhist monks to visit their homes or go to a temple or shrine to recite prayers.
There is also a traditional activity called Bon Odori dancing that is performed in parks, gardens, or shrines across the country. The styles of folk dance may differ from region to region, but most are accompanied by traditional Japanese taiko drums and are free to watch.
Entire families often spend this day together laughing and telling stories about the deceased. Meals served on this day are typically vegetarian.
On August 16th — Seeing off the Spirits
The last day of Obon is for guiding the spirits back to their resting places or back to the water, which is where spirits are traditionally believed to reside. During this day, many regions light another bonfire and hang more lanterns painted with the family crest to guide spirits back to their graves.
There is a big ceremony of sending off fires in the mountains of Kyoto. People use wood to form a large "大" character, and then set it on fire.
Some regions of the country celebrate a festival called Toro Nagashi on this day which involves releasing hundreds of floating lanterns onto rivers and lakes. These floating lanterns are meant to guide the spirits back to their world. Each toro nagashi contains a candle and is often placed in a waterway that will eventually lead to the ocean.
Taboos in Obon Festival
- Do not hang wind chimes at the head of the bed — it is said that if there is a noise, it will bring bad things.
- Don't hang your clothes out at night — strange ghosts may take your clothes to wear.
- Don't stay outside too long. In Japan, there is a saying that during the festival, ghosts will walk on the streets. If you come back too late, you will meet them and be abducted.
- Don't steal the offerings.
- Don't take photos at night — cameras will capture bad spirits.
- Don't swim — It is said that water ghosts in the water will drag you down.
- Don't tap people on the shoulder. It is said that people have (spiritual) fire on their shoulders, and ghosts will be afraid to get close. If the fires are put out (by tapping shoulders), ghosts will come.
- Do not put slipper heels towards the direction of your bed — Ghosts may figure out where you're sleeping based on the direction, and come and sleep with you, which may lead to sleep paralysis.
Japan's Obon Festival vs China's Ghost Festival
Japan's Obon is similar to China's Ghost Festival (Zhongyuan Festival). They have many similarities. They have similar taboos; they are both traditional festivals; they are both related to death…
However, there are some differences between Obon and China's Ghost Festival.
Different Dates
Japan's Obon has fixed dates to celebrate Obon, usually from August 13 to 16 (following a switch from using the lunar calendar). But the Chinese Ghost Festival is calculated according to the lunar calendar, on the 15th of the 7th lunar month (falling from early August to early September). This Year [2024] China's Ghost Day falls on August 18.
In Japan, people usually have a vacation, while in China, no holidays are taken for the Ghost Festival.
Different Religious Connections
The Japanese Obon Festival is influenced by Buddhism. It focuses on ancestor-worshipping celebrations. The Chinese Ghost Festival is more influenced by Taoism. It is more focused on the worship of ghosts.
Different Ways to Celebrate
Obon is a grand traditional festival in Japan. There are big sacrificial events, dance events, and markets.
In China, the main Ghost Festival ceremony is usually held at dusk on one day. People put the family's ancestral tablets and old paintings and photographs on a table and then burn incense near them. People also feast on this night, and they might leave a place open at the table for a lost ancestor.
Obon Festival Foods
Obon is one of the biggest summer festivals in Japan and is a great time for street food so its a great time to visit for adventurous eaters especially because the country has surprisingly little street food available in cities during normal times.
Some of the top foods to try at street food stalls during Obon include Takoyaki (breaded octopus topped with pancake sauce and dried seaweed), maki sushi (traditional sushi rolls where all the ingredients are wrapped together in seaweed), yakisoba (fried noodles), yakitori (chicken skewers), and okonomiyaki (Japanese savory pancakes).
Top Places to Visit during Obon
If you are planning to visit Japan in July, then you can see the Obon celebrations in some areas of Tokyo and also in Okinawa.
If you plan on visiting in August, then some of the best Obon celebrations to see include Awa Odori in Tokushima and Tokyo, the Daimonji Gozan Okuribi Fire Festival in Kyoto, the Hokkai Bon Odori in Hokkaido, and the Nagasaki Shoro Nagashi Festival in Nagasaki.
During Toro Nagashi, you can see some of the best lantern releases in the Asakusa neighborhood of Tokyo and in Hiroshima.
Traveling in Japan during Obon
One important thing to note when visiting Japan during Obon is that along with New Year and Golden Week, this is the busiest travel time of the year with plenty of domestic and international travel occurring at the same time. It's likely that hotel prices will be higher than normal during Obon and it will be necessary to book all tickets and rooms well in advance.
Japan's famous high-speed trains see a lot of traffic between August 8 and 16 as Japanese people travel back home for the holiday and then back to the cities for work. Make sure to keep this in mind when buying rail passes and traveling.
Explore Japan with Asia Highlights
Asia Highlights welcomes the chance to help you design your perfect trip. Whether that includes experiencing a festival and the country's rich culture or taking a foodie's tour where you can experience all the best flavors and innovative dishes of Japan. Check out some of our example itineraries below for inspiration!
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