Obon festival in Gardena celebrates the salvation of the dead.

Centuries of Japanese Buddhist tradition will come alive in the South Bay this weekend when the Gardena Buddhist Church celebrates Obon, a summer festival of remembrance and rebirth.

A religious holiday dating from the 6th Century, Obon commemorates the dead with special services but also celebrates their salvation with a festive event late each summer.

“It’s a joyful occasion,” said Tom T. Maeda, festival spokesman. “We’re paying respect to our deceased so it’s like a memorial service, but at the same time we are celebrating the deceased being reborn into ‘Pure Land’ or heaven.”

The memorial services were held last month, leaving only a holiday’s celebration period that will be marked this weekend with a public festival of ethnic foods, games and traditional dance, Maeda said.

Rings of dancers and the sound of the taiko , a traditional Japanese drum, will fill Halldale Avenue near the church Saturday and Sunday evenings from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., when hundreds of community members will participate in Obon dancing, one of the highlights of the festival. The steps are easy to master, event organizers say, and all festival-goers are invited to participate.

The dancers will take part in the ancient history of Obon dancing, which began with the legend of Moggallana, a brilliant disciple of Buddha, Maeda explained.

According to the tale, Moggallana’s mother stole food for her son and committed other crimes to help him. When she died she was sent to hell, where all she tried to eat turned to fire in her hands.

Moggallana mourned his mother’s fate, and Buddha advised the monk to perform charitable acts to make up for her sins. Moggallana worked to redeem his mother and, when finally she arose to heaven, he and other disciples took to the village streets, dancing with joy.

Today, Obon dancing recognizes this religious legend but also draws on the cultural roots of Japanese village life and the folk dances used to celebrate the summer season, the harvest and country traditions.

In fact, the choreography for dances to be performed this weekend dates back just 30 to 40 years, said Mitzi Shimizu, festival dance chairwoman.

The Tokyo Olympic Ondo, for example, a dance commemorating the 1964 Tokyo Games, re-creates athletic moves and pays tribute to the international unity expressed at the games.

Although dancers once donned formal silk kimonos for the festival, today the ukata , a light cotton kimono, or the happi coat, a short Japanese jacket, are more commonly worn for Obon.

Tank tops and shorts also make perfect Obon attire, Shimizu said.

“We tell everyone to jump in as is,” she said.

The Obon festival includes a family carnival featuring games for children, a Japanese book sale, Bingo and a raffle fund-raiser for the church. Ticket buyers for the fund-raiser are eligible for the $1,000 grand prize. Church groups will also sponsor ethnic food booths featuring Japanese fare such as sushi, udon or Japanese noodles, Okinawa dango , a deep-fried sweet cake and chicken teriyaki as well as shish kebab, tamales, hot dogs and other festival favorites.

What: Obon Festival.

When: 4 to 10 p.m. Saturday, and 3 to 9:30 p.m. Sunday.

Where: Gardena Buddhist Church, 1517 W. 166th St., Gardena.

Admission: Free.

Information: Call (310) 327-9400.