Jizo Bon is a festival that celebrates Jizo Bodhisattva, a guardian deity of children and travelers. It consists of traditions that originated in the ancient capital of Kyoto and were passed down in various parts of the Wakasa region.
Simple stone statues of Jizo can be seen in small roadside shrines across Japan, but in Obama it is tradition to paint them. The painted statues are called kesho jizo (“Jizo wearing make-up”). Neighborhood residents often leave flowers or sweets as offerings to the Jizo statues.
Around August 23rd or 24th each year, the Jizo Bon Festival is held in villages and cities across the Wakasa region to pray for the health of young children. During the festival, children clean and apply new “make-up” to the Jizo statues and place colored flags by the shrines. They ring small handbells and call out to passers-by, encouraging them to give prayers and offerings to the Jizo. Snacks that the children can eat on the Jizo’s behalf are a popular choice of offering.
