In the case of the Obon festival (a Festival of the Dead or Buddhist All Soul's Day) in Japan, each ancestor's spirit called Oshorai-sama is considered to come back to the Buddhist altar in each house once a year so that people place Bonku (offerings) during the Obon period.
日本におけるお盆の場合、お精霊さま（おしょらいさま）と呼ばれる各家の祖霊が、一年に一度、家の仏壇に戻ってくるものとして、盆の期間中、盆供として毎日供物を供える。