Ihatov: Obon Drummers

Two drummers rest on their taiko platform. The Obon dances in Tsuchizawa were small compared to those in neighboring Tono and in the Ohasama valley, but they were just as beautiful and strange.

Obon is a Japanese festival in the end of summer that celebrates the spirits of departed family and ancestors from ever father back. Despite centering around the visiting and care of family gravesites, it is a very happy festival period. Many families use Obon as Americans tend to use the Thanksgiving holiday, with a gathering of family and time spent enjoying food, drink, and each other's company.