Obon Dance (San Jose-Summary, 2007-07-15)

On Sunday, the San Jose community danced Obon Odori to celebrate a Japanese festival called Obon Matsuri (odori=dance, matsuri=festival). Obon is a Japanese Buddhist festival to honor one's ancestors. The colorful clothing are mostly yukatas and happi coats (different from kimonos).

This summary reviews all of the 15 dances that were performed at the festival.

Number of dancers (announced over the speaker): 605

Start time: 6:00 pm

Music:
1. "Shinshu Ondo"
2. "Obon no Uta"
3. "Gassho Ondo"
4. "Sukiyaki"
5. "Wonderful Ondo"
6. "Sawayaka Ondo"
7. "Pokemon Ondo"
8. "Oyama Ondo"
9. "Janken Ondo"
10. "Nisen Nen Ondo"
11. "Shiawase Samba"
12. "Soran Bushi"
13. "Ei Ja Nai Ka"
14. "Tanko Bushi"
15. "Obon no Uta"

[1-11, 14, 15] performed live by San Jose Chidori Band

[12, 13] performed live by San Jose Taiko

(At Japantown, San Jose, CA on 2007-07-15)

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• obon
• matsuri
• festival
• odori
• dance
• san
• jose

[vanillabeanbean]

Ahaha!

I am Japanese,

and I live in Chicago,

and I go to Bon Odori, and we do most of the songs in this

You do a wonderful job,

I hope you many wonderful Obons like this one

[lilaznpurplefreak]

The Sukiyaki dance with the kachi kachi was cute. Too bad I never make it to the San Jose Obon... And I'm fairly sure we've done Oyama Ondo, but with a completely different dance. Weird, weird...

[konami893]

We're in there haha!!!!!

[zarcath]

interesting such a different selection of songs compared to hawaii. some of the Tanko Bushi movements differ from ours, I might have recorded that one...

[irvintyu]

thankss, you saved me on my essay =D

[scooternak53]

check out an obon odori if you are in a major city with a Japanese-American community. Obon Odori is typically in July and August. Most churches are very happy to have members of the public join in.

[beetlejuiceflorida]

Thank you for posting this; it provides a peek into another fascinating culture.

[mymindspeaks]

Was fortune to particpate in some of the dancing in Southern California. There is something that is so uplifting about it all. I think it is wonderful to pass on traditions and it is great to see so many generations