During the fall, my family likes to go to Koboji Shingon Mission Church to celebrate the bon festival. The bon festival is a Buddhist tradition in which people celebrate and honor their ancestors. During this time, it is said that the spirits of your ancestors come to visit you. The obon festival lasts around 3 days but it can vary throughout different places in Japan. Bon Odori, which means bon dance in Japanese, is a ritual that takes place during the Bon Festival. In Hawaii we have various weekends that many different Buddhist churches and temples put on a Bon Odori. People usually gather around in large circles around the yagura, which is a large elevated wooden stand where the band plays. People dance around the yagura. My family goes to the Koboji Shingon Mission Church in Kalihi. I think that it is really fun to go to bon dances because everyone just gets into all the dancing and the music. Everyone who goes to the bon dances really get into what they are doing and have a great time. I can’t wait to go to another Bon Odori with my family plus there is wonderful Japanese food there too!
The above video clip is from YouTube and is a sample of a typical dance performed at a Bon Odori in Hawaii. I hope you like it, and it gives you a good feel and understanding on what the Bon Odori is.
Sophia! I love the Bon Odori celebration and wished that we in U.S. culture would have this practice. I also love El Dia de los Muertos, the Mexican celebration for the day of the dead. In my family as part of our Chinese New Year's celebration we always make offerings to our ancestors, putting out food and wine (er, my dad always poured whiskey) in front of our home shrine for our ancestors. My brother is married to a 3rd gen Japanese Am woman and they have raised their daughters in the Buddhists tradition. We've attended the Bon Odori a time or two in Los Angeles. Love helping out. Thank you for sharing about Bon Odori.
Sophia! I love the Bon Odori celebration and wished that we in U.S. culture would have this practice. I also love El Dia de los Muertos, the Mexican celebration for the day of the dead. In my family as part of our Chinese New Year's celebration we always make offerings to our ancestors, putting out food and wine (er, my dad always poured whiskey) in front of our home shrine for our ancestors. My brother is married to a 3rd gen Japanese Am woman and they have raised their daughters in the Buddhists tradition. We've attended the Bon Odori a time or two in Los Angeles. Love helping out. Thank you for sharing about Bon Odori.
ReplyDeleteSophia,
ReplyDeleteI like it too. I didn't go very often as a kid, but it was fun each time. I especially miss the circles and the food.