- 精霊流し（しょうろうながし）とは、長崎県の各地でお盆に行なわれる行事である。
Shoronagashi is an event held during the Obon festival (a Festival of the Dead or Buddhist All Soul's Day in mid-August) in different parts of Nagasaki Prefecture. - 灯籠流し（とうろうながし）または精霊流し（しょうりょうながし）は、死者の魂を弔って灯籠（灯篭）やお盆の供物を海や川に流す日本の行事。
"Toro Nagashi" which is also referred to as "Shoryo Nagashi" (floating lanterns down a river carrying the spirits of the dead) is a Japanese festival where people hold a memorial service for the spirits of the deceased by floating paper lanterns and other offerings in a river or in the sea for Bon festivals.
(Nagasaki spirits of the dead)
- 精霊流しの舟
the boat that is used to transport the spirits of the dead
- さだまさしさんは、自分の従兄弟の死に際して行なわれた精霊流しを題材にして、ヒット曲『精霊流し』を作った。
Masashi SADA created the hit song "Shoronagashi" having been inspired by Shoronagashi after his cousin's death.
(♪ shoronagashi ♪ by Masashi Sada )
(♪ shoronagashi ♪ English version)
- しかし、その歌と一般的な灯篭流しの情景を結び付け悲愴なイメージを作り上げてしまった観光客が実際に長崎の精霊流しを目の当たりにしてあまりの賑やかさに「歌と違う！」と驚くこともしばしばあるらしい。
Tourists who have a sad image connecting the song and well-known toronagashi (ceremony in which paper lanterns that are believed to bear the souls of the deceased are floated down a river) are often said to be surprised to see with their own eyes boisterous parades of Shoronagashi of Nagasaki exclaiming that it is so different from the song.
- 精霊流しは午後5時頃-10時過ぎまで掛かる事も珍しくない為、多くの船は明かりが灯るように制作されている。
Since the custom launching the boats begins around 5 p.m. and often lasts until 10 p.m. or later, many shorobune are equipped with lamps for illumination.
- また、盆提灯と呼ばれる特別な提灯を仏壇の前に飾ったり、木組に和紙を貼り付けた灯篭を流す灯篭流しや、提灯を小船に乗せたようなものを川などに流す精霊流しを行う場合がある。
In other cases, special Chochin called Bon chochin (Bon Festival Lantern) are displayed in front of the Buddhist altar; Toro (lanterns) of wooden frames covered with paper are set adrift in a ceremony called Toronagashi; and Chochin on small boats are floated down a river in the Shoryonagashi ceremony. - 度を過ぎた花火の使用をした場合、各船の花火取扱者（事前に精霊流しの花火についての講習を受けた者）に警察から指導が行く場合がある。
If any members of a shorobune group went overboard in using fireworks, the police may call on a person (who has been trained on how to use fireworks at Shoronagashi beforehand) in charge of fireworks of the group to warn him or her.
- 精霊流しが行われる時間帯は長崎市中心部をはじめとする各所で交通規制が行われ、バスや長崎電気軌道は経路を変更する形で運行される。
Traffic is stopped or re-routed at various places, such as at the center of Nagasaki City, during the parades of Shoronagashi; and buses and streetcars of Nagasaki Electric Tramway operate on routes different from usual.