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This article is being written in mid-August, a time during which many Japanese people enjoy summer vacations.  In a previous article, we looked at some things which happen during early summer (see link below).  As for the summer vacation season, it is mostly concentrated into a week-or-so occurring in August and coincides with an ancient tradition called O-Bon (お盆).  During O-Bon, it is believed that the spirits of departed family members and ancestors can briefly return to Earth from heaven, so some people will light a “welcoming fire” at their front doors to greet their ancestors and a “send-off fire” to see them out.  Others float lanterns down rivers, and still others insert disposable chopsticks or matchsticks into eggplants or cucumbers to create cow- or horse-shaped figures for the spirits of their ancestors to ride home from the spirit world and back again.  O-Bon is also a time to visit family graves.  There are some neighborhoods which will arrange small evening festival events in parks or school playgrounds where people dressed in summer kimonos (Yukata, 浴衣)  dance in a circle around a platform adorned with colorful & glowing lanterns -- these are called Bon-Odori (盆踊り).  This year's O-Bon holidays period took place from around 10~16 August, and during this timeframe, tens of millions of Japanese people flocked out to scenic & leisure destinations or traveled overseas.  Especially for the Tokyo area, the highways going out of the city experience huge traffic jams and the express trains are standing room only, etc. -- since everyone takes their vacations pretty much at the same time, things get very crowded.  After O-Bon, there is a about a week-or-so left before the schools reopen, and children have to buckle-down and complete their summer vacation homework assignments (shuku-dai, 宿題), and the days, while still warm & humid, slowly shorten and with the approach of September.  We hope you could enjoy things and stay cool during Japan's summer vacation time. 

Written by Goodfield

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Summer season is coming!!

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