I’ll introduce Japanese culture in easy Japanese.

Today’s Theme is “お盆（ぼん）《Bon festival》”.

This episode is JLPT-N3 level.

I created a quiz on this episode.

After listening, please take the quiz!

Please use this audio for listening and shadowing practices.

☆Words☆

お盆（ぼん）：Bon festival

Obon is one of the Buddhist events. In Buddhism, it is believed that the spirits of family ancestors come back to this world during the Obon period between July and August, and a series of events take place to commemorate them.

Obon is regarded as one of the most important family occasions of the year in Japan.

Although Obon is not an official holiday, many offices are temporarily closed for business during this period. 

盆踊（ぼんおど）り：Bon Festival dance

Bon Odori is a traditional Japanese dance that is generally performed at events or festivals during Obon holidays.

Participants wear yukata, a casual traditional Kimono-style garment, and dance to traditional music while circling around a stage to honor the spirits of ancestors.

移動（いどう）する：move

仏教（ぶっきょう）：Buddhism

先祖（せんぞ）：ancestor

もてなす：treat / welcome

仏壇（ぶつだん）：Buddhist altar

迎（むか）え火（び）：welcoming fire

“迎え火” is a sacred fire that is often burned on August 13th in front of each household to guide the spirits of their ancestors back home.

提灯（ちょうちん）：chochin lantern

送（おく）り火（び）：seeing off fire

"送り火"is lit on the last day of Obon, which is generally August 16th to send the ancestors back to their world.

五山送り火（ござんのおくりび）：

The Send-off Bonfires of Five Mountains (Gozan no Okuribi) refers to the annual bonfires lit at various 5 locations including Nyoigatake (Mt. Nyoi known as Mt. Daimonji) on August 16 in Kyoto City.

阿波踊（あわおど）り：

“阿波踊り” is the largest and the most famous bon festival dance in Japan, attracting more than 1 million visitors from August 12 to 15 every year. “阿波” is the old name of Tokushima Prefecture, and “踊り” means dance. 

Every night, groups of dancers dressed in yukata, or light cotton kimono, dance around in the town to the theme song called “Yoshikono” accompanied by three stringed shamisen, flutes, drums and bells.

☆Script for this episode

https://meg-smile.com/43-bon-festival-n3-level/

☆Quiz for this episode

https://www.italki.com/quiz/set/14133?utm_source=copylink_share&utm_medium=share_content&utm_campaign=share_quiz

※Need to register (free)  with italki.

☆If you haven’t used italki, click the link below.

https://promos.italki.com/learnanylanguage-en/?ref=meg-smile&utm_source=meg-smile&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=kol&hl=en

(This is the italki page. You can receive $10 USD italki Credits in your Student Wallet within 48 hours after you make your first purchase.)

☆Would you like to take my class?

I’d love to help you start your Japanese learning journey!

Book a trial lesson directly through my website:

https://meg-smile.com/lesson/

（If it’s your first time, please book a trial lesson to get started.）