The most representative of Okinawa’s festivals is Eisā, held during the last days of the lunar calendar Bon holiday. Dancing and playing musical instruments, men and women performers go from house to house to honor the spirits of the ancestors. Instruments are large and small drums, as well as the typical Okinawan stringed instrument, the sanshin. Opinions differ as to the origin of Eisā, but some say that in the 17th century a monk came to Okinawa (then the Ryūkyūan Kingdom) from Kyōto, and translated a Buddhist chant into Ryūkyūan, which then became widely known. After World War II, Eisā became not just a custom to honor the ancestors, but also a performance exhibition. Eisā can be seen throughout Okinawa, although the costuming and dances vary from place to place. For example, there are Eisā in which only women dance, and another type called angama where the dancers wear masks. In the weekend immediately after the lunar calendar Bon holiday, the Okinawa Eisā Festival takes place in Okinawa City. This festival began in 1956, and teams are selected from all over the islands to dance together to the music of the sanshin and drums.