Transform small slips of paper into handwritten memorials for lost loved ones during Obon Weekend at Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens in Delray Beach.
Similar to Mexico’s Day of the Dead, Obon — being commemorated Saturday, Aug. 10, and Sunday, Aug. 11 — is a time for families to reunite, as it’s believed ancestors return for a short time to visit their living relatives.
“This year, I’ll be filling out a slip in memory of my mother, who passed away last summer in Osaka, Japan,” said Miwako Patton, the museum’s marketing manager.
Since it opened in 1977, the museum has celebrated Obon, which commonly takes place in Japan over several days in August. Through the years, the traditional one-day festival has grown into a weekend-long celebration featuring taiko drummers, crafts, dance, garden strolls and the popular lantern ceremony on the lake in the evening.
This year, however, the museum’s patio renovation, which is part of an ongoing beautification project, has been delayed because of weather, forcing organizers to cancel its Lantern Dinner, according to museum director Bonnie LeMay.
“While we’re disappointed that we won’t be able to host this beloved event as planned, we’re excited about the improvements underway and look forward to welcoming guests to an even more beautiful and inviting space once the project is complete,” she said.
Instead, visitors may purchase floating lanterns for $8 or guiding lights (round lanterns on a stick) for $5 during Obon Weekend at the museum and take them home to continue the celebration.
“Place a guiding light in front of your house to welcome and honor your loved ones. You can also write messages on the sides of the lanterns, light the candles inside and let them float on a lake or river,” LeMay said. “In Japan, these lanterns are traditionally believed to guide the spirits of loved ones back to their resting place.”
Share your at-home lantern ceremonies on social media using #LanternAtHome and #MorikamiObonWeekend.
What else can museum visitors do throughout the weekend?
- Pay respects at the Bon altar dedicated to museum founder George Morikami on display in the Kamiya Room.
- Take a stroll and spend a moment of reflection in the six landscaped gardens.
- Enjoy Fushu Daiko live drumming performances in the Morikami Theater both days. Taiko performances are $10 for nonmembers and $5 for members; this is an addition to museum admission. (Purchase advance tickets through Friday, Aug. 9, at morikami.org/event/obon-weekend. Remaining tickets will be available at the door.)
- Take part in Saturday’s Family Fun Day, which will include a Cicada Noisemaker craft for kids of all ages.
- Head to the lakefront terrace at 3:30 p.m. Saturday to learn the Bon dance, or Bon Odori in Japanese.
- At 4:30 p.m. Sunday, gather at Morikami Lake to end Obon Weekend with the floating of the large lantern filled with messages to lost loved ones.
“The dance is typically performed in a circle around a raised platform called a ‘yagura,’ where musicians and singers provide live entertainment,” LeMay said. “Participants wear ‘yukata,’ a casual summer kimono, and follow simple, choreographed movements. This makes it easy for everyone to join in and experience the joyful communal spirit of the dance.”
After the 20-minute workshop, participants will perform the Bon dance to live music by Fushu Daiko.
“We hope that through Obon Weekend, we can inspire meaningful reflections and celebrate the shared human experiences that bring us all together,” LeMay said. “It’s a time when we come together to remember those who have passed, immerse ourselves in Japanese culture, and find inspiration through traditional rituals and activities.”
IF YOU GO
WHAT: Obon Weekend
WHEN: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 10, and Sunday, Aug. 11
WHERE: Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, 4000 Morikami Park Road, Delray Beach
COST: Museum admission is $16 for adults, $14 for seniors, $12 for students and military, $10 for children age 6-17, and free for museum members. Fushu Daiko live drumming performances cost extra.
INFORMATION: 561-495-0233; morikami.org/event/obon-weekend
