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Obon messages and greetings in English and Japanese: gentle words for the summer days when families honour their ancestors, with lanterns and bon odori.

114 wishes · 2 languages · 2 photo designs · Updated October 2026

Obon wishes for family (14)

  • Wishing our family a peaceful Obon. I will be home in time to light the welcome fire.

  • Grandma, we will visit Grandpa's grave together and bring his favourite peaches.

  • May our ancestors find their way home by the light of our lanterns.

  • A peaceful Obon from [Your name] and family.

  • Mother, thank you for keeping our family's altar so beautiful.

  • Wishing our family a calm, cool and gentle Obon.

See all 14: Obon wishes for family

Obon wishes for friends (14)

  • Wishing you a peaceful Obon, friend. Safe travels home.

  • See you at the bon odori. I will save you a spot in the circle.

  • May your Obon be calm and your summer be kind.

  • Thinking of you and your family this Obon.

  • Enjoy the time in your hometown.

  • Wishing you a gentle and restful Obon break.

See all 14: Obon wishes for friends

Obon wishes for colleagues and boss (14)

  • Wishing you a restful Obon break.

  • Have a safe trip home and a peaceful Obon.

  • Thank you for your hard work. Enjoy the summer holiday.

  • Wishing you and your family a calm Obon.

  • Enjoy the time with your family. See you after the break.

  • Peaceful Obon to the whole team.

See all 14: Obon wishes for colleagues and boss

Short Obon wishes for status (14)

  • Peaceful Obon.

  • Lanterns light the way.

  • Welcome home, ancestors.

  • A gentle summer.

  • Remember with love.

  • Safe travels home.

See all 14: Short Obon wishes for status

Obon blessings and prayers (14)

  • May the spirits of your ancestors rest in peace and bless your family.

  • May the light of the lanterns guide your loved ones home and back again.

  • May your heart be at peace as you remember those before you.

  • With gratitude to our ancestors, may we live kindly.

  • May your family be safe and well this summer.

  • May the memory of loved ones bring you comfort and strength.

See all 14: Obon blessings and prayers

Obon wishes for kids (14)

  • Let us hang the lanterns so our ancestors can find the way.

  • Do you want to learn the bon odori dance?

  • Let us make the cucumber horse so Grandpa's spirit can come home fast.

  • And the eggplant cow, so he can go back slowly.

  • Listen to the big taiko drums.

  • Let us put your drawing on the family altar.

See all 14: Obon wishes for kids

Formal Obon wishes (12)

  • We wish you a peaceful Obon season.

  • Our offices will be closed from 13 to 16 August for the Obon holiday.

  • Please accept our warm summer greetings.

  • We hope you and your family are keeping well in the summer heat.

  • Wishing you a restful Obon and safe travels.

  • With gratitude for your support, we wish you a peaceful summer.

See all 12: Formal Obon wishes

Obon wishes in Japanese (18)

  • お盆には帰ります。みんな元気でね。

  • おばあちゃん、お墓参り一緒に行こうね。

  • ご先祖様に感謝して、穏やかなお盆を過ごしましょう。

  • 迎え火、一緒に焚こうね。

  • お盆休み、気をつけて帰省してね。

  • 盆踊り、一緒に行こう。

See all 18: Obon wishes in Japanese

Obon wishes images

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Obon wishes images10

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  • Obon wishes image: Grateful to those before us.
  • Obon wishes image: Thank you for every Obon summer in the old house. I miss it.
  • Obon wishes image: 8月13日から16日まで夏季休業とさせていただきます。
  • Obon wishes image: Peaceful Obon. Let us watch the floating lanterns together.
  • Obon wishes image: May your heart be at peace as you remember those before you.
  • Obon wishes image: We look forward to working with you again after the holiday.
  • Obon wishes image: Let us hang the lanterns so our ancestors can find the way.
  • Obon wishes image: ご先祖様に感謝して、穏やかなお盆を過ごしましょう。
  • Obon wishes image: With gratitude for your support, we wish you a peaceful summer.
  • Obon wishes image: Cool nights, warm memories.

About Obon

Obon is a Japanese Buddhist custom of honouring the spirits of ancestors, who are said to return home for a few days in summer. In most of Japan it is held from 13 to 16 August; Tokyo and some other areas keep it in July, and some places follow the lunar calendar.

Families return to their hometowns, clean and visit family graves, set out offerings of fruit and flowers, and light small welcome fires and lanterns to guide the spirits home. At the end, send-off fires are lit and in some places lanterns are floated on rivers, called toro nagashi.

Obon is also a time of community: towns hold bon odori dances in a circle around a tower with drums, and summer festivals with food stalls light up the warm evenings.

How people celebrate Obon

  • Visiting and cleaning family graves
  • Welcome and send-off fires (mukaebi, okuribi)
  • Chochin lanterns
  • Bon odori dances
  • Floating lanterns (toro nagashi)
  • Offerings of fruit, flowers and sweets

How to wish well

  • Obon is a gentle time of remembrance as well as family reunion, so keep messages warm and calm rather than "happy party" words.
  • A summer greeting card (shochu mimai or zansho mimai) is a common way to keep in touch around Obon.
  • For colleagues, wish them a restful break and a safe trip home.

Questions about Obon

When is Obon?

In most of Japan from 13 to 16 August. In Tokyo and a few other areas it is held in mid July, and some places follow the old lunar calendar.

What do you say during Obon?

There is no single greeting. People often send summer greetings, or wish "a peaceful Obon" and a safe trip home.

What is bon odori?

A circle dance held during Obon to welcome and honour the ancestors, danced to drums and folk songs around a raised stage.

What is toro nagashi?

Floating paper lanterns on rivers or the sea at the end of Obon to send the spirits of ancestors back.

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