▁a ▁spirit ▁or ▁soul ▁called ▁a ▁ <0xE9> <0x9C> <0x8A> <0xE9> <0xAD> <0x82> ▁( re ikon ). ▁When ▁a ▁person ▁dies , ▁the ▁re ikon ▁leaves ▁the ▁body ▁and ▁enters ▁a ▁form ▁of ▁p urg atory , ▁where ▁it ▁wa its ▁for ▁the ▁proper ▁fun eral ▁and ▁post - fun eral ▁r ites ▁to ▁be ▁performed ▁so ▁that ▁it ▁may ▁join ▁its ▁ancest ors . ▁If ▁this ▁is ▁done ▁correctly , ▁the ▁re ikon ▁is ▁believed ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁prote ctor ▁of ▁the ▁living ▁family ▁and ▁to ▁return ▁year ly ▁in ▁August ▁during ▁the ▁Ob on ▁Festival ▁to ▁receive ▁thanks . ▁ ▁If ▁the ▁person ▁dies , ▁however , ▁in ▁a ▁sudden ▁or ▁violent ▁manner ▁such ▁as ▁murder ▁or ▁suic ide , ▁if ▁the ▁proper ▁r ites ▁have ▁not ▁been ▁performed , ▁or ▁if ▁they ▁are ▁influenced ▁by ▁powerful ▁emot ions ▁such ▁as ▁a ▁desire ▁for ▁reven ge , ▁love , ▁je alous y , ▁hat red ▁or ▁sorrow , ▁the ▁re ikon ▁is ▁believed ▁to ▁transform ▁into ▁a ▁y ū rei ▁which ▁can ▁then ▁bridge ▁the ▁gap ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁physical ▁world . ▁The ▁em otion ▁or ▁thought ▁need ▁not ▁be ▁particularly ▁strong ▁or ▁driven . ▁Even ▁innoc uous ▁thoughts ▁can ▁cause ▁a ▁death ▁to ▁become ▁dist urbed . ▁Once ▁a ▁thought ▁enters ▁the ▁mind ▁of ▁a ▁dying ▁person , ▁their ▁y ū rei ▁will ▁come ▁back ▁to ▁complete ▁the ▁action ▁last ▁thought ▁of ▁before ▁returning ▁to ▁the ▁cycle ▁of ▁re inc arn ation . ▁ ▁The ▁y ū rei ▁then ▁exists