Family, Ancestor Worship and Young Adults: The Obon Festival in Contemporary Japan

Abstract

This thesis is an ethnographic work about young Japanese adults in their 20s and 30s and the Obon festival. It is based mainly on fieldwork conducted in Tokyo and Osaka during July and August 2019. The primary goal of this research is to explore how young Japanese adults view and participate in the Obon festival. Through this a better understanding of the interconnectedness of family and ancestor worship is possible. This exploration is achieved primarily through the use of participant observation and semi-structured interviews. Eleven interviews were conducted during the two-month period. How young adults view the festival varies greatly. Some view it as a very important time of the year while others do not care about it at all. Many factors such as work and school impact how young adults participate in the festival. The most influential of these factors in shaping how an individual views and participates in the festival is family.