This morning in Urasoe, Okinawa, the sky was cloudy, with a temperature of around 29.5°C and humidity at 86%—a morning that still carried the muggy heat typical of midsummer. At this time of year in Okinawa, the weather is prone to change due to typhoons, and our daily rhythm tends to be dictated by the sky. Today is the first day of the Old Obon festival. Amid this morning’s atmosphere, I’m recording the start of a day filled with both caregiving and household chores.
☁️ A Muggly Morning and Preparing for Caregiving
It was a muggly morning in Minatogawa, and I woke up early because of the heat. While watching the news, I boiled water and had a light breakfast of coffee and bread. My mother said, “I want to eat roasted sweet potatoes,” so I warmed up the sweet potatoes I’d baked in the oven the day before for her breakfast.
On humid Okinawan mornings, both caregiving preparations and household chores feel a bit more burdensome. Still, the day begins slowly as I keep an eye on my mother’s condition.
🍲 Preparations for the Old Obon Festival Begin in Earnest
Today marks the start of the Old Obon Festival. The kitchen has been bustling since early morning: in the pressure cooker, I’m braising pork for rafute, while next to it, the vegetables for the miso soup are blanching.
I switch pots, wash them, and move on to the next one. With news of an approaching typhoon in the corner of my eye, the feeling that “I have to finish everything today” naturally grows stronger.
The dishes I prepared are classic staples of Okinawa’s Old Obon.
- Rafute
- Braised pork belly with burdock root and kelp
- Naka-jiru
- Unke-jushi
To finish everything before the evening Unke (welcoming my father’s spirit), the kitchen was in full swing the whole time.
🏃♂️ The Hustle and Bustle Between Visiting Relatives and Caregiving
In between preparing the food, I made the rounds to visit relatives. It was a hectic cycle of coming back, feeding my mother, and then heading straight back to the kitchen.
Amid all this, my mother started complaining, “I have a headache, I feel sick, I’m not eating,” making the already dizzying chaos in the kitchen even more frantic.
It was a day unique to Okinawan households, where Old Obon preparations and caregiving happen simultaneously. It was a time when neither my mind nor my body had a moment to rest.
🌿 Seasonal Wisdom: How to Live During Old Obon and Typhoon Season
At this time of year, Okinawa is very humid, making it easy to fall ill.
Stay hydrated frequently
Ventilate well to let the heat out of the kitchen
Don’t push yourself too hard while providing care; take short breaks
Plan visits to relatives early, keeping an eye on weather changes
Because the Old Obon season is a time when both mind and body are busy, small adjustments can help lighten the daily burden.
☕ 2:00 PM: Finally, a Breather
All the preparations were finished by 2:00 PM. It was finally time to take a breather while sipping coffee.
The “Unke” ceremony to welcome my father is coming up this evening. That quiet break beforehand felt like a small reward amid the hustle and bustle of the Obon season.
🌸 Summary
Mornings during the Obon season in Urasoe, Okinawa, are special days where caregiving, housework, and traditional ceremonies all overlap. Even in the muggy heat, the time spent working tirelessly for my family feels somehow nostalgic and warm—it’s the very essence of Okinawan life.
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