Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-09-10
FEAST OF THE BONKU
HOW JAPAN'S GREAT SUMMER HOLl-
I DAY Is CELEBRATED.
~ Is ut Once I'm occnsion For Fcnsr-
! ing the Spirits Of the Departed and
un Opportunity For II Marvellous
Dis plny OF Lanterns.

Display OF lanterns.
There are no Sundays in japan, but
the people enjoy many legal and re-
]isiou5 holidays. The most notable
of all Is that elaborate summer fcs-
tival which lasts for four days in the
middle OF July and has So many sides
10 it that 1t is known by several names.
Formerly it wa; styled Urabon; today
it is usually called the Feast of Bon,
or Rommatsuri. or the I,Onku. 1t is
ut once Il time for feasting the spirits
of The departed and IN occasion for n
marvellous display Of lanterns. Many
Europeans call ii the Feast of Lam
terms. Speaking strictly. it may be
dcnGniinatcd the Japanese Festival OF
All Souls.
In Dai Nippon religion and pleasure
go hand in hand. ana this cXtrnordi-
nary season or homage TO friends who
have PASSED away is IN occasion OF
most singular aud exceedingly pic
turcsquc national festivities Oh II uni
versal scale The popular doctrine is
that during these four days OF the
year the spirits of ancestors take Il hol-
iday from iEdcs and visit the IA
inilinr scenes Of past terrestrial life.
especially The temples and Shrinrs
where they used 10 worship, and that
they expect to br cordially and de-
vontly welcomed ana generously fed.
These sladOwy visitors also look for
amusement, and il Is ubundantly sup
piled
Tokyo is gay sight indeed on the
morning Of July IL. The first ccrc-
mony il the Kawa Birulil. or open
ing of the river Professions OF pleas
urc boats start down the river SUI
mida. They are eXuuisilcly decorated
with flags, ribbons. colorcd pnprr and
flowers in profusion. the lily being
most In evidence, rs this blossom is In
Japan the emblem of purity. The
people wish their ancestral invisible
guests TO believe That they are living
immaculate lives. whatever may hap
pen to be the truth Of the nlnttcr. At
night ull the river craft will again sull
III procession, and the gaycty will be
ut The climax.
During the daytime the religious rit-
ual is scdulonsly observed. For many
days numerous hands have been busily
weaving new mats OF the finest rice
Straw, ami now these are brought to
The buddhist shrincs ana spread upon
the affairs and inside the temples. In
every home also II similar preparation
for the festival worship is observed.
the spolless mat being drvOutly laid
IN the domestic "butsudan." us the
little home shrine Is termed where
morning and evening prayers are Of
fcrcd before the ancestral tablets or
inscriptions.
or course the feeding OF The ghostly
guests is the most essential item i'm
The programme OF preparation. The
dieiGtlc commodities which these Wis
ilors from The unseen world are sup
posed to prefer are somewhat numcr.
Gus; therefore tie vlands are offered
i'll many tiny portions. Fresh lotus
leaves are procured, If possible. and
OH these the food is placed. The NOR
sells are all delicious and the ban
quet Is indeed II tempting one, suppos-
ing that the lladcan epclrcs have
really any appetite for these mundane
delicaclcs. They are supposed 10 he
specially fond of bits of the choice
JAPANESE fruits called 'saik wa" and
'uri' They are offered plums ana
peaches Little slices OF Inliskmclon
ana watermelon are IN evidence. The
eggplant fruit IS never missing.
Somewhat more substantial are the
contributions in the shape of .goZcn"
Carefully boiled rice), ''Soncn" Ga kind
or iacaronD ana 'dnngo" ca minute
flour duInplins, Various delicate
Specimens are added, but no kind OF
animal food Is ever offered, nor Is a
drop of wine incllitlcd. Such com
lnoditcs would shock the refined spirit
nal tastes of the guests. Clean water
is constantly sprinklcd on the shrine
with branch Of the sacred nlishoha..
bush. and all day once an hour tea is
freshly prepared for the ghosts. Chop
sticks are laid by the offerings, the I'M
seen visitors being treated lust as liv-
Ing beings.
The proceedings indoors OF course oc-
cupE much attention. and some member
or me FAMILY must constantly be in the
nome, hut The doingS ont of doors are
fuii of Interest ana charm All Kinds
or Fascinating features characterize the
public celebrations on land. on the
river and by The sea In all rural ia.
pan iic lively Bon Odori, or dance
or Souls, Is kept up during The three.
days. il consists Of performance by
lhu Villagers iii II great circle. Tho
chilccrs 20 round, posturlnS in II great
variety 81 aititnd"s II few IN the cen
acr being he musicians In the elite,
7nn Bon ndpr is now professional