Bon Odori – or “Bon dance” – plays a significant role during Japanese summer festivals. The long-awaited “Hibiya Park Marunouchi Ondo Grand Bon Odori Dance Festival,” one of the biggest Bon dance events in Tokyo, will be held on August 25 and 26! Open to everyone, locals, and visitors from Japan and abroad will join together in a dancing circle, surrendering themselves to the rhythm of Japanese music. We invite you to join the “Bon Odori” for a memorable part of your trip!
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Held for the First Time in 4 Years! Join the Bon Odori in Hibiya Park
During the summer, Bon dances are held all over Japan. This folk entertainment takes place during the Obon (Bon) festivities that honor the spirits of one’s ancestors. During an Obon Dance, people gather around a “yagura,” a high wooden scaffold, and dance slowly to the beat of Japanese drums. It’s a representation of the beauty of Japanese culture condensed into one event.
The Bon Odori held in Hibiya Park is presented in a slightly different fashion. Instead of dancing around a tower, people dance around a large, illuminated fountain! Bon dancing in the night breeze is a moment when coolness and enjoyment intertwine.
Bon Odori Dance: An Event for Everyone to Join!
Is this your first time participating in a Bon Dance? Don’t worry! The charm of Bon Odori is that you can observe and follow the example of professional dancers, and before you know it, you will be dancing. Residents, office workers returning from the office district, students, and visitors from abroad and all over Japan gather and dance cheerfully in a circle. Anyone can participate, and the welcoming atmosphere is impressive. Moreover, it is a very colorful event with many people dressed fashionably in yukata (light cotton kimono). Incidentally, Japanese people are very welcoming to foreigners and young people enjoying yukata, so don’t hesitate to take this opportunity to make your yukata debut!
Explore the Fun and Delicious Food Stalls!
When you get tired of dancing, take a break at one of the food stalls in the park. You can savor the taste of Japanese summer festivals that you can only find here. You can choose from classic delicacies such as yakisoba fried noodles and shaved ice, as well as this year’s trendy foods.
The Japanese Bon Odori dance is a rare opportunity to enjoy the charm of traditional Japanese culture. For two days, approximately 40,000 people gather at Hibiya Park: the young and old, all genders and generations enjoy the festival together, making it one of the largest summer festivals in Tokyo. Please come and experience the “Bon Odori” for yourself!
Hibiya Park Marunouchi Ondo Grand Bon Dance Festival
(Hibiya Bon Odori Dance Festival)
Official Website: https://www.hibiyabonodori.com/
Date & Time: August 25 (Friday) and 26 (Saturday), 2023, 18:00 – 21:00 (the event will take place even with light rain)
Location: Hibiya Park, around the large fountain
Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/dw3ZEbDNcihBotxm8
Access: Hibiya Station, Kasumigaseki Station, Uchisaiwaicho Station, Yurakucho Station, Shimbashi Station
*The video was recorded during the 2019 event.
