Obon 2027 Food: What People Eat and Where to Celebrate

Obon runs 13 August to 16 August 2027. Obon is the Japanese midsummer custom of honouring the spirits of ancestors, who are believed to return to the household altars. Families gather, visit graves and make food offerings, and Bon Odori dances and summer festival stalls fill the evenings. Most of Japan keeps it in mid-August, while Tokyo and some other urban areas keep it in July.

Source: Obon.

Also known as Bon, Bon Odori, O-Bon, Urabon'e.

What people eat for Obon

Botamochi and ohagi

Japan

Rice ball sweets of steamed rice and glutinous rice, lightly pounded and coated with sweet adzuki bean paste or sprinkled with sesame or roasted soybean powder. They are offered to the returning spirits and afterwards eaten by the family.

Source: kikkoman.com.

Somen noodles

Japan

Thin wheat noodles offered to the ancestral spirits at Obon and later eaten by the family. They are offered to pray for good health, an idea that comes from an old Chinese tradition.

Source: kikkoman.com.

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Udon at the temple

Parts of Japan

In some areas it was an Obon tradition for the community to gather at the local temple and eat their fill of udon noodles.

Source: kikkoman.com.

Eggplant and cucumber offerings

Japan

Eggplant and cucumber are fashioned into oxen and horses as mounts for the ancestral spirits, and harvested vegetables are offered during Obon. Offerings can also include a basin of water, chopped eggplant and cucumber, or uncooked rice.

Source: kikkoman.com.

Masuzushi

Toyama

Pressed sushi from Toyama, made of vinegared trout on vinegared rice and wrapped in bamboo leaves. It is most often eaten on special occasions such as Obon and New Year.

Source: Masuzushi.