Obon....

It's Obon festival season here on Okinawa....According to About.com, Obon is one of the most important traditions for Japanese people. It is a Buddhist event and is the period of praying for the repose of the souls of one's ancestors. People believe that their ancestors' spirits come back to their homes to be reunited with their family during obon. Obon is an important family gathering time and many people return to their hometowns.

Last night around 10pm, Kev and I went on a walk in our neighborhood. It was cool out, a nice escape from the humidity and heat we've had for the last few days. As we were walking, we saw fruit bats flying about and heard a small crowd of high school kids practicing with their Eisa drums.

During Obon, the streets are full of the sights and sounds of Eisa drummers, bright red paper lanterns, and families gathering arond their "Butsudan" (a family altar) to worship their ancestors.

It's nice to be here and witness it all...

Enjoy your weekend.

~Chrissy