Japanese culture celebrated at Como Park in St. Paul

ST PAUL, Minn. — A beloved tradition in St. Paul returned to Como Park on Sunday.

The Japanese Obon festival is a cultural celebration that honors a centuries-old Japanese holiday. Visitors enjoyed traditional music, interactive exhibits, and authentic Japanese foods. It all culminated with the ceremonial lighting of floating lanterns.

"We have lanterns going into the water in the Japanese garden, the lily pond and the frog pond, so a lot of different ways to kind of commemorate your loved ones," said Noah Petermeier, Como Park Events Coordinator. "The candles you'll see there are to commemorate the ones who have passed and left us."

Organizers say this tradition symbolically guides ancestral spirits and provides a moment of reflection and connection across cultures.