Though the specific origins of the Bon festival are unkown, it is believed that twice a year, once in early spring and once in early fall (said to be a remnant of when one year was counted as two six-month years), there were events held at the time of the full moon to celebrate the souls of the dead coming to visit their descendants
盆の明確な起源は分かっていないが、1年に2度、初春と初秋の満月の日に祖先の霊が子孫のもとを訪れて交流する行事があった（1年が前半年と後半年の2年になっていた名残との説がある）。