Obon 2027
The ancestors come home for a few days, and the town dances to welcome them.
Countdown to Obon 2027
Dates
When is Obon?
Obon 2027 falls from Friday, 13 August 2027 to Monday, 16 August 2027.
The customary August dates repeat each year, with Kyoto's bonfires on 16 August.
Date checked against japan-guide.com
| Year | Dates | Length | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 13 – 16 August 2026Thu – Sun | 4 days | Past |
| 2027 | 13 – 16 August 2027Fri – Mon | 4 days | Confirmed |
See every festival by date in the 2026 festival calendar and 2027 festival calendar.
The story
What it is, and why it matters
- Type
- Spirit & Ancestry
- Tradition
- Buddhist
- Where
- Kyoto, Kansai
- Crowd
- Observed nationwide across Japan
- UNESCO
- Not inscribed
Obon is kept throughout Japan, as families travel home to remember their ancestors. Kyoto is our host because the festival closes there with the Gozan no Okuribi, huge bonfire characters lit on the mountains to guide the spirits back.
Obon is a Buddhist observance in which the spirits of ancestors are believed to return home for a few days. Families clean graves, make offerings at the household altar, and light small fires — mukaebi to welcome the spirits and okuribi to send them off.
In most of Japan it falls from 13 to 16 August, though Tokyo and some other areas keep it in mid-July and parts of Okinawa follow the lunar calendar. Neighbourhoods hold bon odori dances around a raised drum stage. In Kyoto, on the evening of 16 August, five great bonfires are lit on the surrounding hills, including the famous 'dai' character on Daimonji.
Culture
Traditions, food and music of Obon
Traditions
What actually happens
- Bon odori — circle dances around a yagura stage, with steps that vary from town to town.
- Mukaebi and okuribi — fires lit to welcome and send off the spirits.
- Toro nagashi — floating lanterns on rivers to guide spirits away, held in some places.
- Gozan no Okuribi — Kyoto's five mountain bonfires on the night of 16 August.
Food
The table, widened
- Vegetarian dishes in the shojin ryori tradition, and somen noodles in summer.
- Seasonal fruit and sweets placed on the family altar, then shared.
Music
Sound of the crowd
Taiko drums and ondo folk songs set the pace for bon odori, and every region has its own favourite. Many of Japan's Furyu-odori dances — some of them bon dances — were inscribed by UNESCO in 2022.
Religion
Why this date
Obon comes from the Ullambana tradition of Mahayana Buddhism, linked to the story of a disciple of the Buddha who sought to relieve his mother's suffering after her death. In Japan it combines Buddhist ritual with older ancestor-veneration customs.
History
How it survived
Obon rites are recorded in Japan from the seventh century. Bon odori developed in the medieval period. Kyoto's Gozan no Okuribi was established by the Edo period and is one of the city's great summer events, alongside the Gion Matsuri.
History
How it got here
Obon rites are recorded in Japan from the seventh century. Bon odori developed in the medieval period. Kyoto's Gozan no Okuribi was established by the Edo period and is one of the city's great summer events, alongside the Gion Matsuri.
7th c.
First rites
Ullambana ceremonies are recorded at the imperial court.
Medieval
Bon odori
Community dances develop to welcome the spirits.
Edo period
Five bonfires
Kyoto's mountain fires become an established tradition.
Today
Coming home
Obon is one of Japan's busiest travel weeks of the year.
Travel & practical
Visiting Kyoto for Obon
Getting there
Kansai International Airport is linked to Kyoto by the Haruka express in about 75 minutes.
Seeing the bonfires
The banks of the Kamo River and some temple grounds offer views of the Daimonji fire on 16 August.
Practical notes
Trains and highways are very busy around Obon, and August in Kyoto is hot and humid.
Plan the trip with free AltFTool tools
FAQ
Obon: common questions
Straight answers to what people ask most about Obon.
When is Obon in 2026 and 2027?
In most of Japan Obon is kept from 13 to 16 August in both 2026 and 2027, with Kyoto's Gozan no Okuribi on the evening of 16 August. Tokyo and some other areas observe it in mid-July, and parts of Okinawa follow the lunar calendar.
Is Obon a public holiday?
No, but many companies close and people take time off to travel home.
Can visitors join a bon odori?
Yes. Dances are open to everyone, and locals are usually happy to show the steps.
What is the 'dai' bonfire?
A huge fire in the shape of the character 大, meaning 'great', lit on Mount Daimonji.
Also in August 2027
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