Obon - Japan's Festival of The Dead (Part 2)

A breathtakingly beautiful ritual in a remote village on the backside of Japan. It's the last night of Obon, when they send the Spirits back to the Land of the Dead, where they belong. Obon is a three-day Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the spirits of the ancestors. It is celebrated throughout Japan - typically in August (Tokyo's Obon takes place in July). On the last night of Obon, the villagers light ten thousand floating candles - each with the name of a departed loved one - and set them adrift on the swell. Volunteers devote the entire afternoon to ferrying the lanterns out to floats, lighting, and releasing them. On shore, the Obon dance begins. It flows in a never-ending circle around the musicians who play from a raised platform. Everyone is welcome to join in. Because Obon takes place in the heat of the summer, participants generally wear light cotton yukatas and traditional wooden sandals. There are often rides for the children and food stalls for hungry dancers and spectators. SUBSCRIBE: https://bit.ly/2V4LsRa #Travel #Adventure #Japan Tune in for a new video every week from the far corners of our Human Planet!    / ourhumanplanet   Want to see all of our Japan stories? Download Japanland, the complete 4-hour PBS documentary series on Japan at http://www.japanlandonline.com/ (There’s also a book, reviewed by the New York Time and translated into 8 languages.) LET’S CONNECT! • Say hi on FB:   / ourhumanplanetcom   Category: Travel