Location: Osawa, Omonogawa-machi Site(s) of performance: Ōsawa Farmers’ Park Date(s): August 17 (held exceptionally on August 15 in AY2012) Category: Bon Dance In the beginning of the Tenna period (1681–1683), 12 villages merged to become Ōsawa Village, and they seem in those days already to have practiced a Bon dance that was very similar to …
Location: Hitoichi, Hachirogata Town Site(s) of performance: On the street in Kamicho, Hitoichi, Hachirogata Town Date(s): August 18–20 Designation: Prefecture-Designated Intangible Folkloric Cultural Property Category: Bon Dance The Hitoichi Bon Dance Festival is held on August 18–20 in the evenings on the street at the center of the Hitoichi District of former Hitoichi Town (now …
Location: Hachiman, Rokugo, Misato Town Site(s) of performance: The open space in front of Motodate Child Center Date(s): August 14 Category: Bon Dance The Bon dance at Motodate is a variation of the Nishimonai Bon Dance. More than 80 years ago, the villagers of Motodate wished to have a Bon dance in their village and …
Location: Ura-Omachi, Hachirogata Town Site(s) of performance: In the open space in front of Ura-Omachi Community Center Date(s): August 14 Category: Bon Dance Ura is an old town that Lord Miura Hyōgono-kami Morinaga ruled from Ura Castle on the nearby hilltop in the 16th century. The Bon dance is now performed on August 14 every …
Location: Masuda, Yokote City Site(s) of performance: Naka-Nanoka-machi Street and the street behind Yokote Elementary School Date(s): July 8 and August 16 Category: Bon Dance According to legend, when Ogasawara Yoshifuyu from Kai Province (present-day Yamanashi Prefecture) constructed Masuda Castle here in 1363, he sacrificed his own daughter together with a calf to pray for …
Location: Kakumagawa-machi, Daisen City Site(s) of performance: Kakumagawa Main Street Date(s): August 16 Designation: City-Designated Intangible Folkloric Cultural Property Category: Bon Dance This dance is performed on a street, Kakumagawa Main Street, for it was the tradition here to perform the dance in front of the residences of the local landlords: namely, the Hongō family, …
Location: Asamai, Hiraka-machi, Yokote City Site(s) of performance: The street in front of the Hiraka Regional Development Office, Yokote City Date(s): August 18 Category: Bon Dance The Bon dance was brought here by the Kamimura family of the village. The ancestors of the Kamimura family lived at Nabekura (in the former Hiraka Town). After a …
Location: Minami-Ainono, Sannai-Hiranosawa, Yokote City Site(s) of performance: The open space in front of Sannai Gymnasium Date(s): August 14 Category: Bon Dance The community of Ainono is in the neighborhood of Ōsawa Village, whose Bon dance had much influence on the Sannai-Ainono Bon Dance. The Sannai-Ainono Bon Dance started in 1952 with a celebratory event. …
Location: Osawa, Fujisato Town Site(s) of performance: The open space in front of Awaji Shop in Osawa District (in Osawa Community Hall in case of rain) Date(s): August 14 Category: Bon Dance The Bon dance of Ōsawa started in the late Edo era (1600–1868). It was started to appease the spirits of the ancestors and …
Location: Nagasaki, Noshiro City Site(s) of performance: Inari Shrine Date(s): August 13 Category: Bon Dance The Nagasaki Bon Dance is danced around a scaffold for musicians set up on the premises of Inari Shrine. In the evening, people gather at the sound of calling drums. People dance to the beats of the big drums and …