The best time to attend Obon in 2026 is August 13 to 16, 2026.
Timing status: Timing verification pending.
Last verified: 2026-07-28.
Festival of the ancestors · August 13 to 16, 2026
A midsummer Buddhist festival honoring the dead with lanterns, bon dances and, in Kyoto, giant bonfires lit on the mountainsides.
Okuribi: Aug 16
Where it is visible: Kyoto, Japan
Domestic travel peaks nationwide during Obon week, so trains and lodging fill. Kyoto Gozan Okuribi is August 16.
Obon 2026: August 13 to 16, 2026.
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