Obon is a three-day holiday set aside each summer to honor deceased ancestors. During this period, family members celebrate the return of ancestral spirits by gathering together, feasting, and praying.

Some label the events of Obon as ancestor worship. But “worship,” in the sense that many Westerners think of the term and associate it with Christian rites, is something of a misnomer pertaining to this three-day holiday. A more appropriate term for Obon rituals might be ancestor veneration. The practice of honoring ancestors has been around for centuries, and Okinawans adopted it sometime around the 1300s. (Though the concept may be foreign to many Americans and Europeans, it continues throughout Latin America and Asia—consider Mexico’s Dia de los Muertos.) Many Okinawans believe that after people die, they continue to exist in a spiritual world, where they sometimes exert powerful influences over the living.

The week prior to Obon finds many family members (especially females) busy with preparations. Of foremost Okinawaimportance is cleaning the butsudan. This family altar, which is passed down from generation to generation and usually is kept at the home of the eldest male son, is a wooden cabinet with doors. Inside are several platforms that hold small wooden plaques containing the names of family members who have passed away. As the butsudan will the center of a great deal of attention during Obon, it is dusted and polished to a high shine. In The entire house usually receives similar treatment in preparation of hosting relatives from near and far. Additionally, relatives also sweep their family tombs and clear them of debris (foliage, weeds, and so on) that may have accumulated during the