IWAKUNI CITY, Japan -- Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni residents attended a Bon Odori Festival at the Kinjuen Nursing Home in Iwakuni City, Japan, Aug. 14, 2018.
The nursing home invited the residents to come out and wear yakatas, a casual kimono costume, during the festival to experience Japanese culture and traditions.
This festival celebrated the Japanese holiday called Obon, a Japanese Buddhist custom that honors the spirits of their ancestors, from Aug. 13-16.
“We are happy to share this event with the nursing home,” said Mickie Watanabe, a cultural adaptation specialist with Marine Corps Community Services. “It was a good opportunity to join the local community.”
While many of the volunteers experienced this festival for the first time, Ana Ordinario, an MCAS Iwakuni resident, said this was her second time attending.
“I did the best yakata experience for the nursing home today,” said Ordinario. “We took a lot of photos with the nursing home residents and learned how to make origami figures.”
Kikuko Shinjo, also known as ‘Shinjo-Sensei’, a 91 year-old native of Iwakuni and survivor of the atomic bombing in Hiroshima during World War II, attended the event and showed many of the volunteers how to make the origami figures.
Overall, the volunteers said they had a great time while also learning about Japanese culture, and were happy to experience this event with the nursing home residents.
“Japanese people always respect their ancestors and their traditional culture such as visiting family,” said Watanabe. “We are happy to be invited to join them in the festival tonight.”
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