Obon Festival: Celebrating Japanese Culture in Oakland - August 3rd

Photo byTianshu LiuonUnsplash

The culture and heritage of Japan is celebrated by Americans of Japanese descent through various means. One way is by holding events which commemorate traditions of Japan, including an Obon Festival during the summer months.

Obon or just Bon is a fusion of the ancient Japanese belief in ancestral spirits and a Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the spirits of one's ancestors. This Buddhist custom has evolved into a family reunion holiday during which people return to ancestral family places and visit and clean their ancestors' graves when the spirits of ancestors are supposed to revisit the household altars. It has been celebrated in Japan for more than 500 years and traditionally is known as Bon Odori, [Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obon]

The Buddhist Church of Oakland (BCO) located at 825 Jackson Street in Oakland, California, has extended a welcome to the community to attend their Obon Festival on Saturday, August 3, 2024. The hours are 1:00 PM to 7:00 PM with Obon Dancing at 5:00 PM.

They will have Japanese delicacies at the food bazaar, traditional Japanese cultural demonstrations, and an Ikebana Floral Exhibit. Temple tours will also be available.

This is a fun family event. Check out the website for more information.

[Website: https://buddhistchurchofoakland.org/obon/]