THE JAPANESE custom of bon probably has its origin in the Avalamba Sutra ( Urabon kyo),
which tells the story of Mokuren, a disciple of Buddha. Mokuren wished to help his deceased
mother, who had fallen into the hell of hungry spirits (gakido). Buddha instructed him that if
one practiced almsgiving and honored the three treasures of Buddhism (Buddha, the sutras
and the priesthood), one could relieve the suffering of one's ancestors in hell for the preceding
seven generations. With this instruction came the establishment of a time for honoring
the dead in the middle of August (July on the old lunar calendar).
Bon is the time of the year when, according to Buddhist belief, the spirits of the dead return home to visit. Other religions also teach that after death one's spirit continues to live on, but the soul is not thought to return to this world. Tales of spirits visiting the living exist in the West in the realm of superstition and ghost stories, and generally have little religious foundation or support. The Roman Catholic Church does, however, teach that the living can, through prayer and sacrifice, aid those
souls waiting to enter heaven. The Church celebrates two festivals in honor of the dead. In the first, All Saints' Day, children used to honor those in heaven by clothing themselves as saints. But now, on the eve of that day, children dress up as ghosts and goblins for what has become Halloween. Two days later the Church celebrates All Souls' Day in memory of all the dead, including those souls that are waiting in purgatory. Masses are said, and in some countries Catholics go to graveyards and
place lighted candles on relatives' graves.
At bon, Japanese Buddhist families clean their houses and on August 13 go to the family graves. There they pour water over the gravestones, light incense and lanterns and leave flowers. Then they return directly home, escorting their ancestors' spirits to the family altar (butsudan). There a special meal of small dishes is set out, cultivating the feeling that the spirits are actually present. After three days,
ceremonies are performed for sending the spirits to heaven once again. Fires are sometimes lighted in front of houses, and lanterns are set afloat in rivers to wind their way downstream and show spirits the way back.
For this very special festival, millions of Japanese return to their home towns. Tokyo seems quiet and nearly abandoned. The highlight of bon in all cities and towns is the bonodori, or dance. People gather for three nights and dance in a circle around a wooden platform that is decorated with lanterns. To the accompaniment of traditional drum and flute music, singers perform folk songs that may sound very strange to foreign ears, with the lyrics of the songs often being improvised. Although
the dance repeats the same steps again and again, with dancers waving their arms and clapping their hands, the beautiful spectacle of it all keeps it from becoming boring. Men and boys wear yukata (cotton kimono) of white and navy blue, while women and girls wear yukata of all colors. Adding to the festival atmosphere
are booths that sell goldfish, toys and masks, fireworks, candy, snacks, and drinks. The foreign visitor may want to try a Japanese soft drink called ramune, served in a bottle with a glass marble in its neck. Viewing the dance, the bright yukata, and the lanterns, the foreigner is likely to feel that this is one of the few times that the real Japan is on display.
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