photo by photolibrary
Ornaments for OBON.
OBON week is just around the corner.(Every middle of August/around 12-16th)
Highlight day is always 15th.
It is a Japanese holiday week and OBON is the most important event for our ancestor worship.
There is a Japanese word about OBON's importance.
"BON-KURE-SHOUGATSU"
BON → OBON week
KURE → End of the year
SHOUGATSU → New year
Japanese other holidays are not so important.
OBON and New year season are very special for Shinto (Nature/Ancestor worship).
This year's 15th is special because it is a full moon day.
Many people in Japan will feel space-time distortion.
In OBON, the gate of after life world and hell world are opened temporarily.
So many ancestor's spirits are able to visit the material world.
After life world is called "Anoyo" in Japan.
(This material, visiable world on the Earth is called "Konoyo")
Usually, suffering ancestor's spirits in uncomfortable place of Anoyo, can't move.
Only ancestors who are living in a good level of after life world can move freely.
But in the OBON week, most ancestors can come to this material world to see their descendants.
They can also enjoy favorite foods.
There is no time and calendar in Anoyo.
They just notice about the special week by opened door of Anoyo.
And the end of OBON is forced termination.
By strong gravity, their spirits are returned to original places.
In Japan, there were some sad accidents in summer season especially in August.
The first big accident was "Mu,the lost continent".
It was terrible and Japan has been repeating sad accidents since then.
Nagasaki-Hiroshima and Japan Airlines Flight 123 also happened in August.
We have to be careful about accidents during OBON because there is a distortion of space-time and door of hell world is also opened.
(The distortion of space-time is especially big in Japan)
Most of Japanese people visit parent's house and ancestral graves in OBON week.
In some prefectures in Japan, people prepare a combination of cucumber horse and eggplant cow for own ancestors.
The set is put in front of a grave or home-grave Butsudan.
It is said that ancestor ride the "fast" horse to visit this material world.
Because they want to come to this world faster.
After enjoying OBON, they use a "slow" cow to return home.
Because they miss Konoyo and their descendants.
By the way, I don't use them in my Butsudan.
Most important thing is smoke of incense.
I use long incenses for OBON week.
Regular incense (length:about 13.5cm/burn time:about 30min)
Long incense (length:about 24.5cm/burn time:about 60min)
Do not use shorter incense than 10cm.
Because short sticks are for lower level existences like animal or bad/wandering ghosts.
It is very rude if you use short incenses for memorial ritual for your ancestors.
Only way you can help your ancestors is Japanese style memorial service.
Simple, easy and no side effect.
Wealthy parents/ancestors can give extra opportunity to kids/descendants.
Do not forget that your situation of life is reflection from your ancestor's in Anoyo.
Because you are a condensation of all your ancestors.
Smoke of incenses give them what they want.
Dedication for hidden DNA in your body makes your life better.
This concept is difficult to non-Japanese but it is too late if you die without true white magic.
You are already in God.
God/Universe
Nature
Ancestors
Parents
You
True worship is not begging.
Just giving gratitude and helping existences who are always protecting you without return.
Japanese still have ancient style worship.
It is Shinto. Both nature and ancestor worship.