Please join me:
One day, when I just arrived in Tokyo, staying at a friend's house, I heard about the final day of the O bon being celebrated in the Ueno parc.
This happens I summer and is the last day, when the former invited souls of the beloved dead ones are guided back to where they came. In this case via a ceremony and lit up lanterns to float on the water of the Ueno lake in the evening.
So I went to the according Benten-shrine, Benten being the goddess image for arts, music and more.
The decorations were ready, some stalls accompanied the visitors to the central kind of altar outside. It was not yet very crowded, so I moved around all that with my camera, and just, when I was almost beside the shrine, the procession with the priest appeared. It immediately was so full, that I could not change my front place anymore, when I wanted to, but being welcomed there and even helped to get the best view, I realised, that I was standing right beside the choir and almost beside the priest himself too!
So, it all went on, they made me feel welcome, and when the priest threw several lucky paper charms, I stepped back, not to disturb the other people from picking them up. But then I suddenly got hands full of these charms offered from the choir people and of course, I accepted a few, which I still have.
After this was finished, I followed the crowd to the lake and there was a special stall, that sold several fine paper lanterns, on which you had to write the name of the beloved, to guide him/her home, but putting the lit up lantern onto the lake water (that is usally done on rivers, to let them float into the sea). I did so too, because I felt like saying thank you to my love, who died some years ago.
While watching the lantern parade, I then found a metal vertical rope (?) on the lakeside to sit and lightly swing on. I was not alone for long, an very kind elderly Japanese asked me if he could join this place, which, of course I did not mind. Then he quietly turned towards me, and when he found out, that I was german, his eyes lit up even more and he wanted to sing me a song from his youth, a german song, that he learned at school.
It was Schumann or Schubert, I forgot and did not know that particular one, but it was most wonderfull, when he sang this one, not loud, but with all his heart. The people around also stopped talking and listened. It was such a warm and beautifull atmosphere, along the evening light pond and the lit up floating lanterns in front of us.
Of course, I also wanted to repay this, but was very sad, that I could not sing any japanese song properly, so I decided to sing a nice quiet German one. This was as much appreciated by everyone around too and I felt soo warm inside, for everything.
Afterwards, this sweet man told me a lot about his boyhood and later on asked me to have a drink somewhere to go on talking. Sadly, I was really tired by then, because of a certain Jet-lag and humbly escused myself, telling him the truth, since I had to go back to my friend's place, not knowing, until when the trains are running. He looked a bit sad, but accepted and said you are welcome and good night, something like that.
I made a final round and then went back. It was all like coming home once more, also, because in my youth, I have been in a church choir for long. . .
Addition: The one, I escorted back via lantern, I have met via singings.
We were said to be like "two lakes together".
(I still love him so much. . .
One day, when I just arrived in Tokyo, staying at a friend's house, I heard about the final day of the O bon being celebrated in the Ueno parc.
This happens I summer and is the last day, when the former invited souls of the beloved dead ones are guided back to where they came. In this case via a ceremony and lit up lanterns to float on the water of the Ueno lake in the evening.
So I went to the according Benten-shrine, Benten being the goddess image for arts, music and more.
The decorations were ready, some stalls accompanied the visitors to the central kind of altar outside. It was not yet very crowded, so I moved around all that with my camera, and just, when I was almost beside the shrine, the procession with the priest appeared. It immediately was so full, that I could not change my front place anymore, when I wanted to, but being welcomed there and even helped to get the best view, I realised, that I was standing right beside the choir and almost beside the priest himself too!
So, it all went on, they made me feel welcome, and when the priest threw several lucky paper charms, I stepped back, not to disturb the other people from picking them up. But then I suddenly got hands full of these charms offered from the choir people and of course, I accepted a few, which I still have.
After this was finished, I followed the crowd to the lake and there was a special stall, that sold several fine paper lanterns, on which you had to write the name of the beloved, to guide him/her home, but putting the lit up lantern onto the lake water (that is usally done on rivers, to let them float into the sea). I did so too, because I felt like saying thank you to my love, who died some years ago.
While watching the lantern parade, I then found a metal vertical rope (?) on the lakeside to sit and lightly swing on. I was not alone for long, an very kind elderly Japanese asked me if he could join this place, which, of course I did not mind. Then he quietly turned towards me, and when he found out, that I was german, his eyes lit up even more and he wanted to sing me a song from his youth, a german song, that he learned at school.
It was Schumann or Schubert, I forgot and did not know that particular one, but it was most wonderfull, when he sang this one, not loud, but with all his heart. The people around also stopped talking and listened. It was such a warm and beautifull atmosphere, along the evening light pond and the lit up floating lanterns in front of us.
Of course, I also wanted to repay this, but was very sad, that I could not sing any japanese song properly, so I decided to sing a nice quiet German one. This was as much appreciated by everyone around too and I felt soo warm inside, for everything.
Afterwards, this sweet man told me a lot about his boyhood and later on asked me to have a drink somewhere to go on talking. Sadly, I was really tired by then, because of a certain Jet-lag and humbly escused myself, telling him the truth, since I had to go back to my friend's place, not knowing, until when the trains are running. He looked a bit sad, but accepted and said you are welcome and good night, something like that.
I made a final round and then went back. It was all like coming home once more, also, because in my youth, I have been in a church choir for long. . .
Addition: The one, I escorted back via lantern, I have met via singings.
We were said to be like "two lakes together".
(I still love him so much. . .
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