Obon;
The festival of Souls.
In this festival a variety of foods are offered to the spirits of ancestors on the Buddhist altar, and their repose prayed for.
The cucumber-horse means our wish for our ancestor come back rapidly on it in this Obon period, and the eggplant-cow means our wish for them to return slowly on it after the period.

　キュウリの馬は、それに乗ってご先祖が素早く帰って来られるように、また、ナスの牛は、帰りはそれに乗って、ゆっくり帰って欲しい、という意味だそうな！^^;