High Five Facts - Obon

The video provides an overview of the Oban festival, a significant Buddhist celebration in Japan that honors ancestors. It explains the festival's flexible dates, typically in August or July, and describes traditional practices such as lighting fires and using Chochin lanterns to guide spirits. The video also covers Oban Odori dances, which express joy for ancestors' freedom from suffering, and the food offerings made to honor the deceased. The festival is a time for family reunions and cultural expression.

What is the primary purpose of the Oban festival in Japan?

• To celebrate the harvest season

• To honor and welcome back ancestors' spirits

• To commemorate historical events

• To mark the beginning of spring

How is the date for celebrating Oban determined?

• It is determined by the government

• It is fixed on the 15th of August every year

• It varies depending on the family's decision

• It is celebrated on the first full moon of August

What is the purpose of lighting fires and using lanterns during Oban?

• To guide ancestors' spirits back home

• To signal the start of the festival

• To illuminate the streets for celebrations

• To ward off evil spirits

What is the Oban Odori dance meant to express?

• A celebration of the harvest

• Sadness for the departed

• Joy and happiness for ancestors' freedom from suffering

• A call for rain

What is the term used for sharing food with the dead during Oban?

• Bento

• Sakura

• Sushi

• Ozone