Written by Aarohi Narain
If you’re looking for a centrally located summer festival with a healthy dose of dancing, you can’t do much better than the annual Bon Odori dance festival held at Shinjuku’s Hanazono Shrine.
What happens?
Bon, or Obon, is a summer festival that takes place at shrines across Japan. Though deeply linked to the Shinto belief in ancestor worship in the past, these events now take the shape of contemporary summer festivals, with plenty of yatai (food stalls) and live performances. The key feature — and the one that draws the most crowds — is the Bon Dance, characterized by repetitive, easy-to-follow moves that revolve around a central yagura platform.
The Hanazono Shrine rendition features local folk songs and dancing, including a pre-war tune specific to the area known as Shinjuku Ondo. You may also hear popular songs like Tokyo Ondo, Yagi Bushi, Kawachi Ondo, and Tanko Bushi.
This is meant to be an interactive event, so don’t let your fear of making a fool of yourself keep you from joining in. Come clad in yukata to make the most of it.
Schedule
The Hanazono Shrine Bon Dance takes place on August 1 and 2 every year. The dances usually take place from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Organizers may cancel events, alter schedules, or change admission requirements without notice. Always check official sites before heading to an event.- 342 m from Shinjuku-sanchōme Station Fukutoshin Line (C13)Marunouchi Line (M9)Shinjuku Line (S2)
- 0.5 km from Seibushinjuku Station Seibu Shinjuku Line (SS1)
- 0.5 km from Higashi-shinjuku Station Fukutoshin Line (C12)Oedo Line (E2)
