Odottar is one of Japan's largest directories of Bon Odori — the summer festival dances held in neighbourhoods all over the country. We gather everything from huge city festivals to the small dances a local street association puts on, and for each one we confirm the date, the time the dancing actually starts, the venue and the nearest station from the organiser's own announcement. If there's a Bon Odori happening near you this summer, this is where to find it.
Bon Odori (盆踊り) is a folk dance held during Obon, the mid-summer season when families welcome ancestral spirits home. Today it's above all a friendly neighbourhood summer festival — people of every age circling a wooden tower called a yagura, dancing to taiko drums and folk songs, with food stalls all around. It isn't a performance; it's a circle anyone can join. New to it? Start with the beginner's guide.
The event listings themselves are in Japanese (event names, venues and addresses are local Japanese information). You don't need to read Japanese to use them — here are the few words that matter:
Odottar is built for phones — open it on your phone for the best experience.
Ready to find one? Odottar lists Bon Odori across Japan with confirmed dates, dance start times and venues.
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