July 7.—Tanabala. The idea of this festival is most poetical. See last paragraph of the Article on Sun, Moon and Stars.
July 13-16.—This is the great Buddhist festival of Bon, which is often termed by foreigners the Feast of Lanterns, but might better be rendered as All Souls Day. The spirits of dead ancestors then visit the altar sacred to them in each household, and special offerings of food are made to them. The living restrict themselves to maigre dishes as far as possible. The ceremony of "opening the river" (kawa-biraki), as it is called, generally takes place in Tōkyō about this time. The spectacle is a delightful one. Half the town goes out on the River Sumida in boats gaily decked with lanterns, while fireworks and music add to the gaiety of the evening. The rural population of most parts of the empire celebrate the festival by a dance known as Bon-odori (see p. 113). It is usual for masters to fee their servants at the Bon season. This should be done not later than the 13th.
July 16.— A second Prentices' Holiday.
The Doyō nō Iri, or "First of the Dog-days," and the Doyō Saburō, or "Third Dog-day," are kept by the eating of peculiar cakes. The Third Dog-day is considered by the peasantry a turning-point in the life of the crops. Eels are eaten on any day of the Bull (Doyō no Ushi) that may occur during this period of greatest heat.
Sept. 9.—The Chōyō no Sekku, a holiday whose appropriate dish is rice mixed with chestnuts.
Sept. 20th.—The autumn equinox.
Oct. 20th.—The festival of Ebisu-kō, so called after one of the Gods of Luck, the only one of all the eight million deities to remain at large during October, which is called the "godless month" (Kami-na-zuki), because all the other gods then desert their proper shrines, and go off to the great temple of Izumo. The reason for Ebisu's not accompanying them is that, being deaf, he does not hear their summons. On this day tradesmen sell off their surplus stock, and give entertainments to their
