summer
Obon: When Japan's Ancestors Come Home
Every August, Japan lights fires and sets lanterns on rivers to guide its ancestors' spirits home for the Obon festival.
general
The 24 Sekki: Reading Japan's Micro-Seasons
Japan's traditional calendar has 24 sekki and 72 micro-seasons — from 'east wind melts the ice' to 'white dew.' How to read them, and travel by them.