ISHINOMAKI, Miyagi Prefecture--Survivors of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami released lanterns out to sea Aug. 14 as part of a Bon tradition that honors the dead.
ISHINOMAKI, Miyagi Prefecture--Survivors of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami released lanterns out to sea Aug. 14 as part of a Bon tradition that honors the dead.The Ogatsu district of Ishinomaki was devastated by the twin disasters, which killed 161 area residents and left 75 missing."With almost all of the buildings in the district having been torn down, the memories of what Ogatsu looked like in the past are starting to fade. We want to continue to maintain the original imagery of the floating lanterns," said Yorio Takahashi, 46, who heads a committee organizing events related to Ogatsu's rebuilding.The lanterns floated out to sea symbolize sending off the spirits of the dead who are said to return to their homes for the Bon season.In the summer of 2011, volunteers helped to build the lanterns that were used for Bon that year in an effort to help keep the tradition alive.This year, the lanterns were released into Ogatsu Bay after dusk.