also: しょうろうながし
noun
floating lanterns for the spirits of the deceased
A custom during Obon in which lanterns or offerings are set adrift on water to guide the spirits of ancestors back to the other world. Primarily associated with Nagasaki and other regions.
長崎では、お盆に精霊流しが行われます。
In Nagasaki, the floating of lanterns for the spirits is held during Obon.
精霊流しの灯
The lanterns of the spirit-floating ceremony colored the river surface.