The Spirit Boat Procession (Shōrō nagashi?) is an event celebrated in various places in Japan. It is part of the Bon festival. During the event, the souls of the deceased are mourned and sent off. The procession takes place on August 15 of every year. During the procession, people float boats which are said to be carrying the spirits of the deceased down the river. The spirits are said to be sent to heaven.It is done as an act of mourning by those who have lost a family member in the past year, though people who are not mourning participate as well. The boats are called shōrōbune. The boats are said to carry the souls of the deceased on them. The boats are mainly built by people who have lost a family member in the last year, though they are also built by others.
