Japanese legends, Davis retelling
Festival of the Dead
Davis connects the festival with the return of the dead to their families and gives it a July setting in his account. He describes small household meals, cemetery offerings and care for ghosts without living friends. Farewell boats mark the spirits’ departure.
Also known as Bon Festival in Davis
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In the sources
Account in the source
DocumentedDavis connects the festival with the return of the dead to their families and gives it a July setting in his account.
Further detail
DocumentedHe describes small household meals, cemetery offerings and care for ghosts without living friends. Farewell boats mark the spirits’ departure.
Context & interpretation
This entry documents Davis’s account of observances and their associated beliefs, not a universal description of current Japanese practice. His dates and generalisations are historical source statements. The returning spirits remain a religious and traditional account rather than an independently observed event.
Original passages
Source 1
Myths and Legends of Japan
JulyOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Davis, Myths & Legends of Japan, active reader leaf 244
Checked against the active prepared edition; reader leaf and original-page mapping verified, spacing normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0052-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0052-E001-P0244
- Original scan leaf
- 270
- Recorded leaf number
- 270
- Current Reader position
- 243
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Source 2
Myths and Legends of Japan
those ghosts who have no friends among the living to care for themOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Davis, Myths & Legends of Japan, active reader leaf 245
Checked against the active prepared edition; reader leaf and original-page mapping verified, spacing normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0052-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0052-E001-P0245
- Original scan leaf
- 271
- Recorded leaf number
- 271
- Current Reader position
- 244
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed