Do you remember the “Bon-odori” dance festival I told you about a couple of weeks ago? About honoring the ancestors and dancing like a fool with strangers and all that? If you don’t know what I am talking about and/or you think I have finally succumbed to Tokyo’s summer heat, you can click here for a more thorough explanation.
Basically, we went, we danced, and had a fantastic time participating in this modern, comical take on a very traditional custom.
One of the highlights of the night was when some foreigners stumbled upon the event, not sure what was going on. One of the dancers on stage asked “Do you speak England?” We couldn’t hear/see their response but we assume they confirmed this because the next thing he said was “OK, let’s dance together!” And that’s the spirit of the Bon-odori! As they say, “You’re a fool if you dance, and a fool if you just look on. If you’re going to be a fool anyway, you might as well dance!”
Three years on, this is still the best event in Tokyo! A big claim I know, but I’m sticking with it. It’s high energy, fun and unlike any other event around.
Some feedback from friends experiencing it for the first time this year:
“Thanks again for inviting!! Really happy, funny and stupid! 
One of the events that I most enjoyed!”
“It was very, very funny bon odori festival, maybe the most unique one in my life so far 
Thanks for sharing this beautiful night!!!!!!”
Here’s some of our foolishness caught on camera…
Onigiri (riceball) man – I remember him from this event three years ago. Seems he comes every year with his onigiri head.
Musical performance during the interlude. Even the songs were comical.
A member of the Condors dance troupe displays his flexibility on the central stage.
If you have kids, they’ll love this event.
Posing…
Do you remember my friend from last time? He doesn’t have pink hair anymore!
Next summer, check out the Owl Spot website for details on this must-experience event. There is limited information in English but unfortunately details of this year’s Bon-odori were in Japanese only. Good news is though, it was very obvious on the site – on the rolling banner at the top of the homepage. Look out for the red and white stripes associated with the event and these characters にゅ～盆踊り. Even if you can’t read Japanese, you should be able to pick out the date/time as they are written numerically. Japanese dates are written like this: 7月29日 (the first character being ‘month’ and the second ‘day’ i.e. July 29th). Location is currently Ikebukuro West Gate Park (池袋西口公園 Ikebukuro Nishi-guchi Kōen). Click here for directions from Ikebukuro Station.
While this event may have passed for this year, there are still plenty of events during August! If you’re in Japan this month, check out these events for some festival inspiration.
AWESOME!!! Looks like you had a blast. These photos were really great, too–captured the experience beautifully.
Thanks Britt! It was a really fun night. Hope we get the chance to dance like fools together sometime!
That would be a blast!
My family and I have been considering going to Tokyo or South Korea next year. This definitely makes Tokyo look like a good choice. Thank you so much for posting this!
Glad it was helpful! You certainly can’t go wrong with Tokyo! There are so many things to see and do, and especially a lot of festivals/events during the summer months. If you’re looking for more ideas, we have many other posts on Tokyo and Japan, and we’ll continue to post more recommendations. If you have any questions about visiting Japan, feel free to contact us. Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting!
This looks great fun! I’d certainly love to go one year. Love your photos too.
Thanks Kathryn! You definitely should! It’s well worth the visit to Tokyo. Plus there are so many other great things to see and do here too
Looks like so much fun ^-^
It was a great night! If you get the chance, you should definitely go. Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by and comment, Ashley!
Ha! How fun.. sounds like something I would love!
Great pics too!
Pingback: Best travel blog posts: How to dance like a fool « 101 Holidays blog
Hi Jessica, found out about your blog through 101 Holidays. What a fun event! It’s something I’d like to experience myself. Really nice post and photographs.