AP Japanese Religion Terms

お盆

おぼん Obon - Buddhist custom honoring ancestors

盆踊り

ぼんおどり bon dance - Traditional dance performed during Obon

新盆

にいぼん first Obon after a death - First Obon after someone dies

旧盆

きゅうぼん lunar-calendar Obon - Obon based on the old lunar calendar

初盆

はつぼん first Obon after a death - First Obon after someone dies

地域

ちいき region - Obon customs and timing vary by region

帰省

きせい returning to one's hometown - Returning home during Obon to honor family and ancestors

農繁期

のうはんき busy farming season - Busy farming period

変化

へんか change - Changes in Obon customs due to calendars and modern life

風習

ふうしゅう custom - Traditional customs passed down through families and communities

開催する

かいさいする to hold - To hold events such as bon dances

各地

かくち various regions - Obon customs differ across Japan

ご先祖

ごせんぞ ancestors - Ancestors believed to return during Obon

最終日

さいしゅうび final day - Final day of Obon

火

ひ fire - Fire used to welcome and send off ancestral spirits

送り火

おくりび farewell fire - Fire used to guide ancestral spirits back to the afterlife

供養

くよう memorial service for the dead - Honoring and caring for deceased ancestors

改暦

かいれき calendar reform - Calendar changes affected the timing of Obon

旧暦

きゅうれき lunar calendar - Traditional calendar used to determine old Obon dates

基準

きじゅん standard - Standard used to determine dates or timing

行う

おこなう to conduct - To perform an Obon ritual or event

お墓参り

おはかまいり visiting a grave - Visiting and honoring ancestors at their graves

供える

そなえる to offer - Placing food

お供え物

おそなえもの offering - Food

供物

くもつ offering - Items offered to ancestors or Buddhist figures

霊

れい spirit - Spirit of a deceased person

故人

こじん deceased person - A person who has died

答える

こたえる to answer - To answer a question

一般的な

いっぱんてきな common

精霊

しょうりょう spirits of the dead - Spirits of ancestors believed to return during Obon

精霊馬

しょうりょううま spirit horse - Cucumber and eggplant figures used as spirit animals

精霊棚

しょうりょうだな spirit altar - Altar prepared to welcome ancestral spirits during Obon

時期

じき period

祈る

いのる to pray - Praying to Buddhist figures or ancestors

提灯

ちょうちん paper lantern - Lanterns used to guide ancestral spirits

焚く

たく to burn - To burn a fire

僧侶

そうりょ Buddhist monk - Buddhist priest who performs memorial services

現世

げんせ this world - World of the living

現世

げんせ this world - World of the living

あの世

あのよ afterlife

お彼岸

おひがん Higan Buddhist observance - Buddhist observance around the spring and autumn equinoxes

忌明け

きあけ end of mourning period - End of the traditional mourning period after a death

感謝

かんしゃ gratitude - Showing gratitude toward ancestors and family

仏教

ぶっきょう Buddhism - Religion influencing Obon and ancestor memorial customs

きゅうり

きゅうり cucumber - Used as a spirit horse for ancestors to arrive quickly

なす

なす eggplant - Used as a spirit horse for ancestors to return slowly

仏壇

ぶつだん Buddhist altar - Household altar for Buddhist figures and ancestors

敬う

うやまう to respect - Showing respect toward ancestors and deceased family members