Bon-Odori Dance

                     

Summer has come! But it is terribly hot and humid in Tokyo. Winter is not so severely cold in Tokyo as compared to northern area, so summer is the toughest season for many people. If you are in Tokyo now, please be careful not to get heat stroke under the blazing Sun.

However, there are many attractive things in summer. Watching fireworks, swimming in sea or pools, having watermelons, shaved ice, or beer, and watching and participating summer festivals, and so on. Among them, we would like to introduce you “Bon-Odori” dancing.

You might have heard amusing music and sound of drumming around parks or squares in the evening in this season. You might have seen people wearing kimono and dancing there. Yes, it is bon-odori.

 Bon, or sometimes called obon, is a Japanese Buddhist custom for commemorating one's ancestors. It is believed that the ancestors' spirits return to this world during bon period in order to visit their relatives. People decorate their Buddhist altars with flowers and lanterns to greet ancestors’ spirits, offer foods, and visit graves.

There are many events in the bon season, and the “bon-odori” dancing is one of them. There are several theories about the origin of this dancing. It is held in bon season, but usually a religious atmosphere is quite sparse. So if you are interested in the dancing, don’t just watch it, try to participate in it freely.

The dancing might look a little complex at first. But soon you will find that it just repeats some simple and easy motions to the music. You don’t need any special costumes or skills to dance. Just enjoy yourself and just have fun!