Obon in the east in Japan

Obon, however, is celebrated at different times in different places. The most common time is mid-August. But, in the eastern prefectures, Obon is partly based on a lunar calendar, so it's celebrated in mid-July. In the southern regions, the mid-summer dates for Obon vary a bit from year to year.

Obon, also known as Bon, is one of the most important customs in Japan that was introduced by the Buddhists to the Japanese. Obon is a holiday in mid-July or August and usually lasts a week. It brings families together and reunites them with the dead. It is loosely interpreted as “Festival of the Dead”.