Shimodate Bon-Dance Festival
During the Obon Festival, the entire city is filled with excitement about Bon-Dance where people dance “Shimodate Ondo” at first.
Shimodate Ondo was presented to the town by Yaso Saijo to express his gratitude. He wrote this song while fleeing from Tokyo to Shimodate during the war, to express his attachment to Shimodate.
Following Shimodate Ondo, the dance area will be filled with people dancing the Kasanuki Odori with lively Ohayashi.
The Kasanuki Odori features a special gesture from a time long ago, that of a man twirling a straw hat. The man, named Kanji, was born in the district, and one day he brought home a wanderer whom he had met in Johshu (current Gunma Prefecture). He took off his straw hat, bowing at the waist, and promised the neighboring lords that he would take over the family’s horse business.
The Bon-Dance is to be held in the open area in front of the Shimodate Chiiki Kohryu Center (Arterio) on August 15 and 16, every year.