Bon Odori: A night of tradition, music and fun!

Happy Tuesday みんなさん～！The weather has been very nice lately with cool breezes  :)

This past weekend, my friends and I decided to go to our first Bon-Odori matsuri in Japan since our arrival and it was such a memorable night :)

A Bon-Odori is a traditional festival that is held during the summer where people honor their ancestors and remember what they have done for us. Many people dance in a circle around a tall stage/scaffold  where taiko drums are played to keep a steady beat. Every song has a special meaning behind it and each region has a local dance in addition to different music.

 I have always wanted to attend one in Japan, so it was truly a very humbling experience for me. This event allowed me to wear my yukata for the very first time! That was enough to excite me from the start. Having never worn a yukata before, my friend, Karyn, was gracious enough to help me with mine ^^

The Bon-Odori was held at a winery in Seishin-Chuo and seeing the women talking together in their favorite yukata with their geta and fans made me smile countless times throughout the night.

They even had a program where you could rent a yukata for the night for FREE! With that and a few encouraging words from us, a few of our friends (and a new friend!) decided to wear yukata for the night. I think it made their night a lot of fun :) Karyn wore her own pink and purple yukata while the others enjoyed wearing their free yukata ^^

The best part of the night was getting into the circle around the stage and dancing to numerous songs. Some were familiar while others were brand new to me. However, by watching the women in the inner circle, I was able to eventually catch on and had so much fun! Even people who did not know the dances at all would join in the circle and follow the movements of everyone else. I was sad when the festival finally ended, but I was able to walk away with so many fun memories, new friends and a deep appreciation and gratitude for my heritage.

Thank you so much for reading! :) I will update the blog when I can and really do appreciate you being so patient with me~ have a wonderful week!