The heavy scent of incense and damp river moss hung in the humid evening air as Kenji knelt by the water’s edge. In his hands, he held a small, square lantern made of delicate washi paper and a light cedar frame.
It was the final night of Obon, the festival of souls. For three days, the spirits of ancestors had been visiting the world of the living, and now it was time for Toro Nagashi —the ceremony of floating lanterns to guide them back home. buy japanese floating lanterns
Kenji struck his own match. The small candle inside the lantern caught, turning the paper box into a warm, pulsing star. He stepped onto the low stone ledge, felt the cool spray of the river on his ankles, and gently lowered the lantern onto the surface. The heavy scent of incense and damp river
For a moment, it bobbed unsteadily. Then, the current caught it. For three days, the spirits of ancestors had