1.
welcoming fire (lit at the start of Obon)
A small fire lit at the entrance of the home on the first evening of Obon to guide the spirits of ancestors back to the family. Traditionally made by burning ogara (hemp stalks).
玄関先で迎え火を焚いた。
We lit a welcoming fire at the front entrance.
祖母は毎年お盆の初日に迎え火を用意する。
My grandmother prepares the welcoming fire every year on the first day of Obon.
先祖の霊が道に迷わないように迎え火を焚く習慣がある。
There is a custom of lighting a welcoming fire so that ancestral spirits don't lose their way.
Composed of 迎える (to welcome) + 火 (fire). Lit on August 13 (or July 13 in some regions) at the start of Obon. The counterpart fire on the last evening, used to send the spirits back, is called 送り火.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 迎え火を焚く: to light a welcoming fire
- 迎え火を用意する: to prepare a welcoming fire
CULTURAL CONTEXT:
During Obon, ancestral spirits are believed to return home for a few days. The welcoming fire marks the entrance so spirits can find their way. Traditional materials are 麻の茎 (hemp stalks, called 苧殻) or pine kindling.
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 送り火: send-off fire — lit at the end of Obon to send spirits back
- 灯籠流し: floating lanterns — another way of sending off spirits, by river or sea