17 Temples and Shrines to Visit During the 2026 Obon Festival — Welcoming and Sending Off Spirits with Light

On the night of the final day of Obon, the character for 'Great' (dai) appears on the ridgeline of Tabashineyama. This is a farewell fire ritual where flames are lit in the order of brush strokes to see off the spirits of ancestors. This event, sharing the same concept as the Gozan Okuri-bi in Kyoto, has been preserved in the land of the Fujiwara clan of Oshu.

Two days earlier, on August 14th, there is also a Zenzou (fire Noh) performance dedicated under bonfires. Combined with the World Heritage temple complex, summer in Hiraizumi is truly a nighttime affair.

A Zen temple of the highest rank in Oshu, founded by Date Masamune. During Obon, watchtowers and platforms are set up on the Matsushima coast in front of the gate, and wooden tablets inscribed with sutras (kibata) are burned in offering. The chanting of sutras by approximately 50 monks resonates along the shores of one of Japan's Three Great Views.

On August 12th, a general memorial service for the Urabon (Obon) festival is also held. The path to the main hall, passing through a avenue of cedar trees and a cluster of cave ruins, is worth seeing even on days without special events.

'How quiet, the sound of cicadas seeping into the rocks'—the Mountain Temple praised by Basho. On the evening of August 6th, after chanting Nianfo (Buddhist prayers) in the fundamental central hall, participants chant Nianfo while visiting the various halls all the way to the inner sanctuary (Oku-no-in) through the night. Lanterns beside the 1,015 stone steps are lit, illuminating the approach in the darkness.

If you are looking for a service specifically for Obon, attend the Urabon Jie memorial service on August 20th. This is a service that offers food and drink to hungry ghosts and prays for the peace of ancestors.

The chief shrine of Hakodate. It is said that in Bunan 2 (1445 CE), when the lord of Kameda District built a castle, he enshrined the Hachiman deity in the southeast corner, marking the beginning of the shrine. The annual grand festival is held from August 14th to 15th, with stalls lining the grounds.

The highlight is a ritual held every other year where a 1.5-ton mikoshi (portable shrine) is carried up more than 130 stone steps. The shrine building, completed in Taisho 4 (1915 CE), is considered a representative work of the 'Daisei-style Hachiman architecture,' making it worth visiting even on non-festival days.

This is a merit day for Kannon, where it is said that visiting on this day grants the merit of 46,000 days (approximately 126 years). The concept of gaining merit exceeding a lifetime in a single day is a ritual that truly reflects folk belief.

Located on a high ground overlooking the sea of Kamakura, the view from the grounds is one of its highlights. It is conveniently located for a stop before returning home for Obon.

Around the start of autumn (Risshu), hundreds of bonbori (paper lanterns) inscribed with calligraphy by cultural figures and celebrities associated with Kamakura fill the approach and grounds. Each lantern features paintings or calligraphy, and after sunset, it becomes a festival to literally 'walk and watch.'

It is enjoyable to proceed while checking the names of the writers, and new works are added every year. Visiting after dark is recommended.

One of the Three Great Festivals of Edo. It is popularly known as the 'Water-Splashing Festival' because pure water is splashed onto the mikoshi from the streets. It is a quintessential summer festival where both the bearers and spectators get soaked.

The main festival is held once every three years, featuring a spectacular scene of over 50 mikoshi lining up. It is easily accessible from the city center.

An ancient temple that has long been known for the saying 'Visit Zenkoji once in a lifetime,' accepting anyone regardless of sect. During the Obon period, a market is set up, and the entire approach is lively with large Bon Odori (Bon dance) gatherings.

The 'O-Kaidan Meguri' (Circumambulation of the Altar), where one gropes one's way through a pitch-black corridor under the main hall floor, is a famous attraction where touching the lock in the darkness is said to forge a bond with the main image. Please enjoy it along with your summer visit.

The annual grand festival of the Izu Kuni Ichinomiya (First Shrine of Izu Province), and one of the largest summer festivals in eastern Shizuoka Prefecture. From August 15th to 17th, events such as the mikoshi procession, Yabusame (horseback archery), and Tedou Hanabi (hand-held fireworks) are held.

Known as the shrine where Minamoto no Yoritomo prayed for the revival of the Minamoto clan, the Yabusame is based on this story. It is within walking distance from Mishima Station, and the entire town is immersed in the festival atmosphere.

One of Japan's Three Strange Festivals. This festival marks the end of the climbing season for Mount Fuji. On the night of August 26th, large torches set up along the streets of Fujiyoshida are lit simultaneously.

The scene of a line of flames piercing through the town is entirely different in impact from the quiet light of lanterns and candles. It is a festival to see off the end of summer, after Obon.

On the night of Urabon, countless lanterns are arranged in the front courtyard of the Great Buddha Hall to offer memorial services to the spirits of ancestors. The Great Buddha Hall illuminated by the lights presents a completely different appearance from daytime visits. On this day, the observation windows of the Great Buddha Hall are opened, allowing visitors to look up at the face of the Great Buddha from outside, which is also a highlight.

Also, on August 7th, the 'Great Buddha Body Wiping' (Osugi) is performed. Monks in white robes clean the dust accumulated on the Great Buddha over the year, serving as preparation for Obon. If you visit before Obon, this is also recommended.

This is a summer night event where approximately 100,000 candles are lit on the approach leading to the Oku-no-in (Inner Sanctuary) of Koyasan. The approach is a 2-kilometer path lined with centuries-old cedar trees and tombstones of past generations, and the scene of both sides being lit simultaneously is unique.

It is held on the night of August 13th, which serves as the welcoming fire (mukae-bi). Since the main event starts after sunset, it is recommended to stay at a shukubo (temple lodging) and walk leisurely.

This is a summer tradition of Kyoto held at the Otani Sobo (Higashi Otani), the cemetery of Higashi Honganji. Approximately 10,000 lanterns are hung on the approach and grounds, and many visitors come to pay respects to graves under the light.

Located on the mid-slope of Higashiyama, you can look down on the cityscape of Kyoto beyond the lights, which is unique to this event. It is a view available only for a few days during Obon.

A temple counted as one of Japan's Three Great Inari shrines, preserving the syncretism of Shinto and Buddhism to this day. It is known for its rare landscape where a torii gate and a Niomon (Lion Gate) stand side by side, even after the separation of Shinto and Buddhism in the Meiji era.

For the three days of Obon, memorial services are held to welcome the spirits of parishioners. Passing through the 27.5-meter tall Great Torii onto the approach—the strange charm of having a shrine-like entrance despite being a temple is unique to this place.

The annual festival of the Miyajima Shrine, a subsidiary shrine of the Sanuki Kuni Ichinomiya (First Shrine of Sanuki Province). It is a 'Cool Summer Festival' that begins with comforting the spirits of ancestors and involves entrusting prayers for the prosperity of descendants and household safety to lanterns.

While shrines do not have Obon memorial services, the heart of thinking of ancestors and offering light during this time lives on here. It is a festival that clearly shows there are prayers for the same season in a form different from the Buddhist Urabon assembly.

The annual grand festival of the Tosa Kuni Ichinomiya (First Shrine of Tosa Province), and one of the Three Great Festivals of Tosa. Centered on the mikoshi procession, the entire grounds are filled with stalls and visitors. The name 'Shinene' is said to derive from an archaic word, and it has been popular as a festival concluding the summer in Tosa.

The main hall is characterized by its Irimoya-zukuri (hip-and-gable roof) shrine building and is designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan. It is a shrine worth visiting even on non-festival days.

The Higo Kuni Ichinomiya (First Shrine of Higo Province). This is a ritual to conclude the Tana-uta (rice paddy work songs), where approximately 100 parishioners sing Tana-uta while parading through the streets at night. It is said to have the meaning of washing away drowsiness on a midsummer night, and the common name 'Neguri Nagashi' (washing away sleep) comes from this.

The Yagura (tower gate) that collapsed in the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake was restored over seven years. The Tana-uta on summer nights conveys that the life and prayers of this land have continued.