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灯籠流し (とうろうながし) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
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On the night of Obon, a floating lantern ceremony was held.
The river surface shone fantastically with the floating lanterns.
Kanji 籠 basket, devote oneself, seclude oneself Related words 精霊流しょうろうなが し A similar ceremony, but often involves sending off the spirits with boats or lanterns, and is particularly associated with Nagasaki.
盆ぼん 踊おど り Bon dance, another Obon tradition, but focused on dancing rather than lanterns.
Written forms 灯とう 籠ろう 流なが し
Standard kanji spelling for the ceremony.
灯とう 篭ろう 流なが し
Variant kanji for 灯籠; 篭 is a common alternative to 籠.
Etymology Compound of 灯籠 (tōrō, 'lantern') and 流し (nagashi, 'floating, sending off'), from the verb 流す (nagasu, 'to float, to set adrift').
