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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 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.

  • Hold my hand and watch the lanterns float on the river.

  • Grandma will tell you a story about your great-grandpa.

  • Shall we wear our yukata to the summer festival?

  • Let us bring flowers to the family grave together.

  • The lanterns look like little moons on the water.

  • You danced so well in the circle tonight.

  • Obon is when we say thank you to our family from long ago.

  • Let us light the little welcome fire together.

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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