Obon Drums and Dancing 

After Japanese shakuhachi flute music by Rick Kruse, the Rev. Rinban Gerald Sakamoto, minister for the San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin, returned this year to bless the opening of the third annual Humboldt Obon Festival on Sunday afternoon. The program shared traditions of Obon, a Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the spirits of one's ancestors coming to earth to visit, and a traditional time to clean family graves, offer the departed their favorite foods, pray and dance.

A large crowd enjoyed drumming by Humboldt Taiko before moving into the flow of the traditional Bon Odori folk dancing circle. On hand at the Arcata Creamery District event was a broad mix of Asian and Pacific Islander food vendors, and art and informational vendors.

With Totoro (a cuddly, friendly animated character from Hayao Miyazaki's My Neighbor Totoro) wandering amid the crowd, the family-friendly event featured children's activities, an altar to honor ancestors, and an opportunity to write messages to loved ones on slips of paper to be hung on community trees.

Event organizer Humboldt Asian and Pacific Islanders (HAPI) is a DreamMaker Project of the Ink People Center for the Arts, a community-based, grassroots, artist-run arts and culture nonprofit organization. For more information about the festival, or to make a donation toward festival costs, go to hapihumboldt.org.

Mark Larson (he/him) is a retired Cal Poly Humboldt journalism professor and active freelance photographer who likes to walk.