D eceased family members are believed to revisit the homestead during Bon to be reunited with their family. To guide the souls back, a small bonfire is lit outside the house. This is called the mukae-bi , or welcoming flame. T he house is cleaned and dusted, and fruits and vegetables are offered at family altars. When Bon ends, the spirits are sent off with another bonfire, called okuri-bi .
Some regions release small lanterns down rivers or into the sea as part of the okuri-bi ritual.
M any Buddhist temples hold a service called urabon'e during this time, and so a lot of people think Bon is a Buddhist tradition. But historians now think that indigenous Japanese practices combined with Buddhist concepts to give shape to the Bon customs observed today. One of the most famous is the Awa odori of Tokushima. M id-August comes during summer vacation for elementary and middle school students. A lot of companies, too, now offer their workers time off by closing their factories and offices during Bon.