10. A Step Away From History (Part Two The Butsudan)

This is a picture of my wife's butsudan decorated for O'Bon, the festival of the dead.

As you can see there are a number of decorations surrounding it.  The lanterns in front are symbolic, when lit, (electric bulbs inside) are believed to be "guides" for the deceased ancestors to follow to come back home.  There are fresh flowers surrounding the ihai  and you can see the pot in front for placing the incense sticks after lighting them.

The glazed pot is filled with white ashes and the incense burns itself out when it hits the ashes.  The fruits, a specific number, but not limited to type, are placed on both sides in offering, as well as some small cakes.  During O'Bon at every meal that the family eats, a portion is placed in front of the altar as an offering. On the 15th day there is a special traditional food that is offered and there is a small ceremony held in the house to say good by and give offerings to request the ancestors keep watch over the family until next year.  Incense is lit, the blue glazed cups, in one is hot water and the other hot tea, and in the center in the black raised cup is awamori.  Candles are lit, and the food sits there for about 10 or 15 minutes until the incense burns away, and then taken down and eaten.

This is a picture of the traditional food offered on the last day of O'bon.  Those are rice cakes, tofu, steamed fish cake, some type of edible seaweed, and a type of root vegetable called burdock.

There are different types of butsudan, and some are very elaborate, and some built right into the house itself.

During the course of the year, as I noted previously, the butsudan is the central part of the family's life to many people here, and it's importance can not be understated.

That being said, my wife has an older brother, you might be asking, why doesn't he have the butsudan and why are you guys taking care of it and not him.  That is another part of the history and comes much later!