Obon in Utah and New Jersey
by Danny Fisher
“Named plaques of the members of the Buddhist temple who died since the last Obon are displayed in a place of reverence near the ‘Onaijin’ inside the Buddhist Temple. This plaque recognizing Shaku Kakugyo Kay Kiyoshi Terashima is one of seven at the front of the temple know as the Onaijin. The Salt Lake Buddhist Temple is celebrating the annual Obon Festival, the period of praying for the repose of the souls of one’s ancestors, Saturday 7/11/09.” Photo by Scott Sommerdorf for The Salt Lake Tribune.
Items in the Salt Lake City Tribune and the Daily Journal offer a glimpse at Obon festival celebrations by Japanese-American Buddhists in Utah and New Jersey, respectively. Take a look.
You should make sure you stop by an Obon festival in Southern California before the season's up! I recommend the one at Gardena at the beginning of August — it's also the last festival of the "Obon season".
oh. I used to live in Jersey and not to far from where this festival is held. I can't believe that I never heard about it before. Does anyone know if a similar celebration is held in the Great Plains? Probably not, but its worth asking.
Cheers,
I think the closest Shin temples to you are in Denver or Winnipeg. You should contact the Denver temples to find out about Obon festivals in the Great Plains.