Bon Odori

Stay cool dancing inside at the Las Vegas Obon Festival

Thank you to the support of our dance teacher Grace Stalbaum

Bon Odori Practice

Practice is Saturdays at the Las Vegas Buddhist Sangha from 10am - 12pm in order to be ready to dance at the Obon Festival August 24, 2024.

Join us on
April 20
May 4, 18
June 1, 15
July 6, 20
August 17

2024 Las Vegas Dances

1 Bon Odori Uta
2 Lantern Song
3 Kangi-E
4 Sakura Kappore (Kachi-kachi)
5 Tokyo Gorin Ondo
6 Tsurukame Ondo
7 Yagi Bushi (Tenugui)
8 Bambutsu No Tsunagari (Uchiwa)
9 Memanbetsu Bayashi
10 Ashibinaa
11 Yuiyo Bon Odori
12 AIUEO Ondo (Uchiwa)
13 Gassho
14 Kyushu Tanko Bushi
15 Lahaina Ondo *NEW*

Okinawan Bon Dances
Tenyo Bushi
Nembutsu

History of Bon Odori

Bon odori is most commonly known for it's circular dances around a yagura. The motions repeat throughout the songs and often tell stories of the past.

Yoshio Iwanaga (1900-1950) was a Japanese Buddhist minister who moved to California in 1930 and introduced doyo buyo (children’s dance) and bon odori (obon dance) to numerous communities along the North American West Coast.