Celebrate the Japanese Obon Festival at Como Park on August 20
Lanterns on the water at the culmination of a past Obon Festival. Photo courtesy Como Park Zoo and Conservatory
Summers in Japan are filled with many different summer festivals. One such festival, celebrated nationwide, is the Bon Festival, or Obon. Obon is a three-day festival traditionally beginning on the 15th day of the seventh month. This date varies regionally due to different responses when Japan switched from the lunar calendar to the Gregorian calendar at the start of the Meiji Era. The most common time to celebrate is in August (Hachigatsu Bon), which corresponds to the lunar calendar.
The Japanese Obon originated from Buddhist festivals honoring one’s ancestors. According to legend, the festival honors a disciple of Buddha, Maha Maudgalyayana, rescuing his mother’s spirit from the Realm of Hungry Ghosts. During the festival, the spirits of ancestors are supposed to visit the household altars. People return to their hometowns to visit and clean their ancestors’ graves and to reunite with their families. At the end of the festival, the spirits are encouraged and guided to return to their celestial home with flame. Bonfires are lit on the hillsides, forming giant kanji and other symbols, and people light lanterns that are set afloat on rivers and ponds.
The Como Park Zoo and Conservatory, in partnership with the Japan America Society of Minnesota and the Saint Paul–Nagasaki Sister City Committee, holds an annual one-day celebration of Obon, ending with a lantern lighting ceremony. This year’s celebration will be on Sunday, August 20, from 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. At the festival, you can see traditional dances (bon odori) and music performances, martial arts demonstrations, and more. You can eat delicious food, try your hand at Japanese carnival games, and learn about Japanese culture. At the end of the evening, lanterns will be released into the water to guide the spirits home.
More information about the festival can be found on the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory website. Advance tickets are required and can be purchased at that link. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for children (ages 3–12) and seniors (ages 65+), and free for children under 3.
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About the Author
Robert Atendido
Robert lived and worked in Japan in the 2000s and hopes to return someday—but only to visit. When not working at his day job, he takes part in a variety of hobbies, including historical reenacting, singing, swing dancing, and reminiscing about Japan.
