Toro nagashi, floating paper lanterns

If you visit Japan around the end of summer, you may witness the Tōrō nagashi custom, when dozens of colorful paper lanterns are set to float on lakes or rivers. At the first sight, it seems like a cheerful ceremony, however the tradition's meaning is somehow somber.

During the Obon Buddhist festival, it is considered that the souls of the dead ancestors are returning home. At the end of the Obon celebrations, these souls need to return back, and the floating paper lanterns are guiding them towards their world...