Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1905-09-27
FEAST OF THE BONKU
HOW JAPAN's GREAT SUMMER noL,-
DAY IS CELEBRATED.

Ing the spirits of the Departed and
nm Opportunity For N MarveIou.
Display of Lanterns.
There are no Sundays in Japan. but
the people enjoy many legal and re-
hgious holidays The most notable
or all is that elaborate summer fes-
uvai which lasts for four days In the
middle Of July and has so many sides
to 1t that 1t Is known by several names.
Formerly II was styled Urabon; today
IL Is usually called the Feast OF Bon
or Bommatsuri, or the Bonku. II il
at once a time for feasting the spirits
or the departed and an occasion for a
marvellous display Of lanterns. Many
Europeans call Il the Feast OF Ian
terms. Speaking strictly. II may be
denominated the Japanese Festival of
All Souls.
In Dai Nippon religion and pleasure
go hand in hand. and this extraord..
nary season OF homage TO friends who
have passed away is an occasion Of
most Singular and exceedingly pic
turesque national festivities on n uni
versal scale. The popular doctrine Is
That during these four DAYS OF the
year the spirits OF ancestors take hol-
iday from hades and visit the IN
mlliar scenes OF past terrestrial life
especially the temples and shrlnes
where they used TO worship. and that
they expect 10 be cordially and de
voutly welcomed and generously fed
These shadovy visitors also look for
amusement and il Is abundantly sup
Piled
Tokyo is gay sight indeed on the
morning Of July 10. The first cere-
mony IS the Kawa Biruki. or open
ing OF the river. Professions OF pleas
ure boats start down the river Sill
mida. They are eXQuisitcly decorated
with flags. ribbons. coiorcd paper and
flowers in profusion. the lly being
most IN evidence. as 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 ham
pen 10 De the truth OF the matter. At
night all the river craft will again sail
IN procession. and the gayety will be
at the climax.
During the daytime the religious rit-
ual is sedulouSly observed. For many
days numerous hauis have been busllv
weaving new mats OF the finest rice
straw. and now these are brought to
the Buddhist shriucs and spread upon
the affairs and inside the temples In
every home also a similar prcparation
FOR the festival worship is observed
the spoucSs mat being dcvoutly laid
ia the domestic "butsudan." as the
little home shrine is termed where
morning and evening prayers are Of
fcrcd before tho ancestral tablets or
Inscriptions.
or course the feeding OF the ghostly
guests is The most essential item IN
the programme OF preparation. The
dletetlc commodities which these Wis
itor> from the unseen world are SIM
posed to prefer are somewhat nuner-
Gus; therefore the vlauds are offered
in many tiny portions Fresh lotus
leaves are procured, II possible. and
on these thc fool is placed. The NOR
sells are al delicious. and the ban
quot is Indeed tempting one. suppos-
ing that the hadcan epicures have
really amy appetite for these mundane
dchcacics. They are supposed 10 be
specially fond Of bits OF the choice
Japanese fruits called "saikwa" and
'uri. They are offered plums and
peaches. Little slices OF muskmelon
ana watermelon are in evidence The
eggplant fruit Is never missing.
Somewhat more substantial are the
contributions in the shape of "gozen"
carefully boiled ricel 'Somcu" IA kind
of macaroul and ''dungo" a minute
flour dumplingl Various delicate
specimens are added but no kind of
animal food is ever offered nor Is a
drop OF wine Included such COM
moditics would shock the refined spirit
ual tastes of the guests. Clean water
is constantly Sprnklcd ON the shrine
with branch OF the sacred miShohagi
bush, and all day once an hour tea is
freshly prepared for the ghosts Chop
sticks are laid 10y the offerings. the un-
seen visitors being treated just as liv-
ing beings.
The proceedings indoors Of course oc-
cupy much attention. and some member
of the family must constantly be i'm the
home. hut the doingS out Of doors are
fun Of interest ana charm. An kinds
OF fascinating features characterize the
public celebrations ON land. on the
river and by the sea. In all rural ia
pan the lively Bon OdOri. or dance
OF souls. is kept up during the three
InrrG t.nnefsf. ,af 81 sf.,rr Nv
the Villagers in a great circle. The
dancers 20 round. posturing in Il great
variety CC attitudes. 4 few in the cen
ter being the musicians. In the cities
the Bon Odori is ROW q professional
exhibition of skill 10y pretty and popu-
lar gciSha girls. As always in Japan,
the dancers tell a story 10y their move
mCntS
Wonderful everywhere in the land is
the scene N nighfall. The "mukaebi."
or welcome fires. are klndled on the
first evening Of BommatSurI along the
rivers ana the shores wherever any
town or village stands. The Japanese
10 nothing promiScuouSly. so they light
I'm every place exactly 10S of these
fires. They are intended TO guide the
spirits if any need illumination TO find
their way TO the homes and shrines
they are seeking. And. with Il Ike
aim. every householder ut sunset fixes
before his portal several torches. Be
sides these laring and fragrant sig
nails. beautiful lanterns are suspended
over each entrance For the pOOr
ghosts who come to earth for the Bonn.
matSuri. but have no friends. and 50