1.
Obon festival; Buddhist memorial service for the dead
The formal Buddhist term for the Obon festival, a period when the spirits of ancestors are believed to return to the world of the living. Observed in mid-August (or mid-July in some regions).
The formal Buddhist name for what is commonly called お盆. The word derives from the Sanskrit "ullambana" (meaning "hanging upside down," referring to the suffering of souls in the afterlife). It is one of the most important annual events in Japan, alongside 正月 (New Year).
During 盂蘭盆会, families welcome ancestral spirits home with 迎え火 (welcome fire) and send them back with 送り火 (farewell fire). Many companies give employees time off during this period, and transportation is heavily congested as people travel to their family homes.