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Originally uploaded by holmespun

I’ve been asked a few times how the weather is in Japan during the summer, so let’s just get this out of the way: It’s hot. Really hot.

This weekend we’ll be attempting to fry an egg on the sidewalk. Photos to follow.

Regardless of this heat, we are actually coming up on a four day weekend! What’s that you say? You have no plans to travel you say? No, no we do not. It’s not for lack of trying to find a suitable escape but the majority of Asia in August is just a touch unreasonable in terms of weather (think deadly heat). Thus, we’ll be sitting at home under our own air conditioner watching the Olympics and frying eggs on the sidewalk. We’ll also have the majority of Tokyo at our disposal for our “staycation” as the city empties out for Obon.

So, Obon.

To quote japan-guide.com:

Obon is an annual Buddhist event for commemorating one’s ancestors. It is believed that each year during obon, the ancestors’ spirits return to this world in order to visit their relatives.

Traditionally, lanterns are hang in front of houses to guide the ancestors’ spirits, obon dances (bon odori) are performed, graves are visited and food offerings are made at house altars and temples.

At the end of Obon, floating lanterns are put into rivers, lakes and seas in order to guide the spirits back into their world. The customs followed vary strongly from region to region.

Obon is celebrated from the 13th to the 15th day of the 7th month of the year, which is July according to the solar calendar. However, since the 7th month of the year roughly coincides with August rather than July according to the formerly used lunar calendar, Obon is still celebrated in mid August in many regions of Japan, while it is celebrated in mid July in other regions.

The Obon week in mid August is one of Japan’s three major holiday seasons, accompanied by intensive domestic and international travel activities and increased accommodation rates.

In 2008, the peak of the Obon travel season is anticipated to take place between August 9 and 17 with the busiest days on August 13 (people leaving big cities) and August 16 and 17 (people returning to the big cities). August 9 and 10 also expected to be busy.

-End Quote-

We actually came across one of the evening festivals two weekends back which was quite interesting. Hundreds of men and women dressed in their best yukata were gathered around a newly built tower and danced in unison as drummers and a loud speaker provided songs throughout the night. Street vendors sold everything from meat on a stick to ramen to rice balls as lanterns hung overhead. As the night wore on , vendors looking to advertise their companies handed out plastic fans which were truly appreciated and children began to join the dancing. All in all, it was a very nice evening.

So while Tokyo empties out as people return to their ancestral homes, we’ll be hanging out and trying to stay out of trouble. Not sure what we’ll be up to exactly, but hopefully we won’t melt.