In summer, many festivals are held all over Japan.
With parades and fireworks, there’s all kind of events, and it can be hard to decide to participate in a festival on the day itself.
But did you know there is a special kind of festival where people who decide to suddenly participate on the day of the event are welcome?
That festival is the “Bon Odori” (Bon Dance).
Since long ago, the Bon Odori dance has been such a staple of Japanese festivals that there are hardly any Japanese who cannot dance the Bon Odori, and the cultural practice remains in the various regions across Japan. It is usually held in the middle of August in parks and public squares all over Japan.
Around 7:00 p.m. during the height of summer, as the sun begins to set, several people gather on the raised platform in the middle of the festival grounds, music plays, large drums are beat, and a distinctive, unique song begins.
The next thing you know, many people have gathered, and the dance begins.
Most are amateurs who decided to jump in and participate, and they certainly aren’t all good dancers.
Before you know it, the dancing crowd becomes a steady stream, and they all circle around the platform.
Once you join the circle, the people near you will definitely show you what to do.
If you’d like, it could be a good idea to look up “”How to Dance Bon Odori”” beforehand, but it’s also nice to just get involved hands on and have people show you the steps.
After you’ve circled around two or three times, you’ll probably have mastered the dance yourself.
Under the illumiantion of the lights from the platform and the radiant light of the surrounding lanterns, everyone from children who were running around playing just a moment ago to the elderly all smile and dance to the same dance. With everyone enjoying the same moment, there is no language barrier here.
Wearing a yukata as you dance through a cool summer night.
Why not take the plunge and try such a Japanese summer experience yourself?