Drums of Obon: A travel photographer captures the spirit of Japan’s festival culture

Travel
Written By Ben Weller
A woman and two girls in traditional clothing play drums on a wooden float at a Japanese summer festival.

The Kugenuma Kotaijingu Reitaishai is a festival and drumming event held each August in Fujisawa at the end of Obon.

This week is Obon, a major mid-August Japanese holiday centered on honoring the spirit of the ancestors. In our neighborhood, evenings are punctuated by the sound of taiko drumming as we prepare for the Kugenuma Kotaijingu Reitaishai, the annual matsuri (festival) and drum battle that closes out Obon here in Fujisawa. The kominka community house sits on the block just behind ours, and families gather there for drumming practice in the weeks leading up to festival. It’s a time for laughter, catching up with old friends, and passing on tradition.

As a travel photographer in Japan, I’ve attended countless matsuri across the country. This one is personal for me. I’ve been documenting the event for more than 10 years, and now my own children are eager little drummers in the circle. In my classes and workshops, students often ask me how to become a travel photographer, or where they should go to build their portfolio. I always tell them to start in their own backyard. Travel photography isn’t just about going to distant places. It’s about falling in love with a place–any place–and taking your audience there. If they can’t go there physically, the goal is to transport them through images. With the right approach, you can do travel photography in your own community. For me, that means finding the people, the landscapes, the traditions that give each place its unique appeal, and then capturing those images and sharing them with the world. Travel photography is about weaving a tapestry of images that give readers context and inspire curiosity. Here’s a look at last year’s festival, a glimpse into my backyard, and an invitation to experience the rhythm and spirit of Japanese matsuri yourself.

Obon: Return of the ancestors

Obon is one of Japan’s most important annual observances, blending Buddhism and local customs. Families believe the spirits of their ancestors return for a short time, and they welcome them with prayers, offerings, lanterns, and, in many communities, music and dance. Across the country, Obon takes many forms: temple ceremonies, lantern floating events (toro nagashi), and public bon odori dances held at shrines or city centers. Here in Fujisawa, the sound of taiko signals that Obon is near.

Scenes and music from the 2024 Kugenuma Kotaijingu Reitaisai. All images by Ben Weller.

Matsuri: A Japan travel photographer’s festival guide in images

While the Kugenuma Kotaijingu Reitaisai is my home festival, my travel photography has taken me to celebrations and ceremonies across the country. From the slightly odd, such as a “naked man festival” in Aichi Prefecture, to the dramatic, like an explosive display of giant, hand-crafted fireworks in Nagaoka Prefecture, each of these events offers unique insights into local traditions and the opportunity for travelers to immerse themselves in Japanese culture. They’re also just a ton of fun to photograph, or to attend with your family.

Check out the gallery below to learn more about some of my favorite Japanese festivals.

Many of the images in the galleries above are available for licensing. If you’re an editor in search of travel photo stories from Japan, please reach out here.

All images © Ben Weller. All rights reserved.

No part of these photographs may be copied, reproduced, stored, or used in any form—digital or print—without the express prior written permission of the photographer.

Ben Weller
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