Recognition of the word "Obondama" among seniors 2016-2019
In an online survey of 2019, about 41.5 percent of Japanese respondents aged between 55 and 74 years answered that they knew the word "Obondama". Women recognized the word more often than men did. Recognition of the word has increased in recent years as the custom has spread from Yamagata Prefecture to other parts of Japan. Similar to the Otoshidama given by adult relatives to children on New Year's Day, Obondama is a money gift that can be given during the Buddhist Obon festival in summer. As families tend to gather during this time, grandparents have the opportunity to give presents to their grandchildren.
