O-bon

This season, we're in "O-bon".
It's a Buddhist custom. Traditionally, people believe the ancestral spirits return to the family on the 13th August. So we go to the grave to pick the ancestor's spirits on that day and send them off to the grave on 15th of August. (the date depends on the area). We visit our family grave, clean it, and present fresh flowers and incense. Many companies close over the O-bon holidays from the 13th to the 16th of August, we take this opportunity to visit the family or take a family trip. So, highway, train, and air traffic are usually quite congested over these holidays.

When we pick them up or send them off, we have to guide them with lanterns so the spirits don't get lost. Also,we lit lanterns or small straw fires at the entrance of house to welcome them. I think these customs are not common nowadays, but many families do gather to visit the family grave.

Accompany with this, the event called "bon-odori" is held in many areas. (see images) Dancing around a tower at night. There are a lot of booths that sell grilled chickens, grilled noodles, candies and so on! That's much more beautiful and enjoyable than spirits things.

How strange! Japan has quite high technology but we still believe spirits or ghost things. In my opinion, respecting ancestors is nice so I would love to continue this customs. But I am worried, the sky shoud become overcrowded year by year because spirits never decrease because people die every second in all over the world. So when I become a spirit, I might feel cramp. How can I solve it?