Bang on the drums all night long!

For the last couple nights we have heard the drums and singing of the Eisa performers as they go up and down the streets near our apartment.  They are doing this in celebration of Obon, more info on Obon below, which lasts for three days here in Okinawa.

The first night we heard them we went down and took a few photos and videos of them as they preformed.

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Obon is one of the most important traditions for Japanese people. It is a Buddhist event and is the period of praying for the repose of the souls of one's ancestors. People believe that their ancestors' spirits come back to their homes to be reunited with their family during obon. Obon is an important family gathering time and many people return to their hometowns.

Obon was originally celebrated around the 15th day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar. Obon periods are nowadays different in various regions of Japan. In most regions, obon is celebrated around August 15th on the solar calendar. It starts from August 13th and ends on 16th. In some areas in Tokyo, obon is celebrated around July 15th on the solar calendar, and it is still celebrated on the 15th day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar in many areas in Okinawa.  - About.com

For more information:

http://gojapan.about.com/cs/japanesefestivals/a/obonfestival.htm