Okinawa's Kyubon

About this event

Okinawa's Kyubon is an important event held from the 13th to the 15th day of the seventh lunar month to welcome, honor, and send off ancestral spirits. In 2026, according to the solar calendar, it falls from Tuesday, August 25 to Thursday, August 27. In some regions, it is held over 4 days, extending until Friday, August 28. The start of Kyubon begins with Tanabata on the 7th day of the seventh lunar month. On this day, people visit family graves for Soro Unkei (welcoming the spirits) to notify ancestors about the upcoming Kyubon. Tanabata in 2026 is on Wednesday, August 19. During the three days of Kyubon, the first day, Unkei (welcoming), involves welcoming ancestral spirits into the home and placing feasts and incense on the family altar (butsudan). In Okinawa, incense is burned at the entrance or front gate to welcome them. The second day, Nakabi (middle day), is a day for family and relatives to gather and pay respects to ancestors. Branch families make visits to the main family home. The final day, Ukui (sending off), is when ancestral spirits are sent back to the afterlife. From around the evening, stacked-box dishes (jubako) are offered, prayers are conducted, and spirit money paper (uchikabi) is burned to see them off. Preparations for Kyubon require cleaning the altar and house, preparing offerings such as jubako dishes and fruits, and getting Buddhist ceremonial items ready like candles, incense, and uchikabi. Particularly on the first day, Unkei, Okinawan-style seasoned rice with ginger called Unkei Jushi is a staple. Welcoming ancestors involves offering candles and incense at the front gate or entrance, with prayers led by the head of the household. Afterward, the incense is carried indoors and placed into the incense burner on the family altar.

Venue

Yonaguni Town

Yonaguni Town, Yaeyama District, Okinawa Prefecture 907-1801