Kemanai no Bon Odori
Japanese name: 毛馬内の盆踊（けまないのぼんおどり）
Kazuno, Akita
2027
Sat, Aug 21 – Mon, Aug 23
Bon dance
About the festival
This bon dance comes from Kemanai in Kazuno, Akita. A song called Dai no Saka-bushi appears in the records of the writer Sugae Masumi, which suggests the dance was performed by at least the mid-Edo period. Bonfires are lit along Honmachi Street, and dancers form long, narrow rings facing inward. They dance slowly through the Dai no Saka, a dance for the ancestors, and the jinku, accompanied by song alone.
A distinctive way of covering the head and cheeks with a dotted mameshibori tenugui cloth
Dai no Saka music played on flute and a large drum about 1 m across
Inward-facing rings of dancers around bonfires lit in the middle of the street
Key facts
- Category
- UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage: Furyu-odori dances
- Location
- Kazuno, Akita
- Main venue
- Honmachi Street (Komose-dori), Towada Kemanai, Kazuno
- Getting there
- About 5 minutes by bus from Towada-Minami Station on the JR Hanawa Line (about 25-30 minutes on foot).
Sources
This description was written by Matsuri Biyori based on public information. Dates and details may change. Please check the organizers' latest information before you go. Translated from the Japanese original.
Nearby and similar festivals
FAQ
- When is Kemanai no Bon Odori held in 2027?
- In 2027, it is scheduled for Sat, Aug 21 – Mon, Aug 23 (Calculated from the usual rule).
- Where is Kemanai no Bon Odori held?
- It is held in Kazuno, Akita. The main venue is Honmachi Street (Komose-dori), Towada Kemanai, Kazuno.
- How are the dates of Kemanai no Bon Odori set?
- Every year, August 21-23