$~~~~$Obon, or the Bon Festival, is a Japanese holiday that honors the spirits of the dead. The festival usually lasts for four to five days in August. During this period, many people travel back to their hometowns and spend time with loved ones, both past and present.
$~~~~$Though not a national holiday, Obon is surely one of the most traditional events of the year. Celebration often begins with mukaebi (welcoming fire), during which people make a small bonfire in front of their house to guide spirits upon their return back home. Food offerings are presented at house altars and temples. Some regions prepare horses made of cucumbers and cows made of eggplants, hoping that the spirits will come back to Earth quickly, on a horse, and leave slowly, riding the cow.
$~~~~$ Paper lanterns and offerings are sent floating down rivers to accompany the ancestors back to their resting place. Many areas will also organize bon-odori dances. The style of the dances varies from region to region but is normally based on the rhythms of taiko drums. Performers usually play on a tall stage with lanterns and banners strung all around. Participants, often dressed in light cotton kimonos, are encouraged to dance to the music around the stage. Originally dedicated to the deceased, the dances have now become a symbol of the summer festival themselves.