Yesterday I went to my first Obon in many years, and one of the first held in Los Angeles this year. At its core, an Obon festival is about celebrating ancestors through remembrance and appreciation. At its core Obon is dancing for and with great joy as a means and expression of the desire to alleviate suffering. The dancing happens around a central raised platform, yagura, in a counterclockwise direction, with music provided by taiko drummers or other musicians. With this being a summer festival, there are plenty of yukata, happi coats, and lightweight kimono in bright and beautiful colors and patterns to be seen.
Timothy Dahlum 