OJCA/OJCC – Ottawa Japanese Community Association & Cultural Centre

Ottawa Obon 2024 report

We bring you a wonderful look at Ottawa’s first Obon ceremony, which took place on Bate Island on Saturday, August 10th, before dusk (and heavy rain) descended on the island.

It was a wonderful gathering. The park came alive with the beautiful yukata robes worn by many of this year’s attendees. The festivities began with the making of paper lanterns, which were then hung on nearby trees and around the ceremonial site to help summon the ancestral spirits to the gathering. This was followed by a hearty meal of potluck, dancing, and finally, escorting the ancestral spirits down the river to return them to their homelands.

Thank you so much to event organizers Shigemi Ichino and Mari Wellman, as well as to sound technician, David Okura who supplied expert services and technical support. The whole park was able to enjoy the sounds of our Odori dancing thanks to him!

Special community screening of the film Seagrass

The screening will take place on Saturday, August 17, 2024 from 3pm – 5:30pm at the Mayfair Theatre (1074 Bank St). Doors open at 3pm. There will be welcoming remarks at 3:15 pm with the film starting at 3:20pm.

The OJCA has organized a special film screening of the film Seagrass (2023) written and directed by Japanese Canadian director, Meredith Hama-Brown.

Tickets cost $10 each. Ticket reservations can be made by filling out this form:
https://forms.gle/XuRmspz2Kk4GAKkq7

We ask that attendees try to show up early as we will begin promptly by 3:15 pm, and the Mayfair Theatre will open their concession stand for attendees to purchase snacks.
Thank you to the NAJC and Game Theory Films for this special opportunity!

About Seagrass:
Set in the 1990s, Seagrass is about a Japanese Canadian woman in an interracial marriage who grapples with the death of her mother. Seeking to find deeper connection in her marriage, she brings her family to a self-development retreat on a remote island. When her distressed relationship with her husband begins to affect the emotional well-being of her children, the family is forever changed.

Ottawa Obon

Saturday, August 10, 2024, 5:00 pm
Bate Island, off the Champlain Bridge

August is the height of summer in Japan. It is also the month of Obon and it is the most widely observed of Japanese festivals in the summer.
Obon is a three-day celebration of ancestors’ spirits that come home to rest. Lanterns are lit to light the way back home. People visit shrines, temples, and family graves during Obon.
There is a lighter side during the Obon period, and it is the bon odori, an Obon dance party!
Makeshift platforms are built at shrines, temples, parks and other public places and people dance to traditional Japanese music, to the rhythm of taiko drums.
Traditional foods are sold, and can include foods that may be familiar in Canada, such as takoyaki, yakisoba, okonomiyaki, ramune (sparkling soda), shaved ice.

At the end of the Obon festival, it is time to say our goodbyes to all ancestors’ spirits by guiding them with lit lanterns to the bank of a riverside, or any waterway, to help float back to their world. The ritual varies slightly between different regions of Japan, and in Ottawa, an Ottawa-made version will be celebrated. The OJCA-CC invites everyone, circle the date and plan to celebrate Ottawa’s Obon.

🎉Natsu Matsuri Vendor Spotlight

Boutique Kodama✨@boutiquekodama_montreal

✨️Performance Schedule✨️

Enjoy performances, local vendors, fun activities, and more! Bring your friends and family for an unforgettable experience. Celebrate our community together with us!

Kochi Yosakoi Ambassador KIZUNA International Team

📅 Date: July 6, 2024
⏰ Time: 11 am – 4 pm
📍 Location: Sandy Hill Community Centre & Annie Pootoogook Park