Yesterday, Saturday, August 22, we visited three festivals held around Ashiya, so here’s our report!
“Summer Evening Gathering” at Sanjo Park
The “Summer Evening Gathering,” organized by the Sanjo Community School, was held at Sanjo Park from 4:00 p.m.
↑ The park was filled with all kinds of festival games and food stalls.
↑ There were even stalls selling items you don’t often see at other festivals, such as spring rolls and fried horse mackerel. Alcoholic drinks such as beer and highballs were also available.
↑ Salted popcorn was only 100 yen! We loved the affordable price.
↑ The opening ceremony began at 5:00 p.m. Mayor Takashima was there and gave a speech!
↑ The opening ceremony also included an awards presentation for the Radio Taiso Rally. We were amazed to learn that one person had earned a perfect-attendance award for seven consecutive years!
↑ After the opening ceremony, the mayor joined everyone in dancing the Tanko Bushi Bon dance. (We could only get a photo of him from behind.)
“Bon Dance & Children’s Summer Festival” at Kasuga Park
At Kasuga Park, the “Bon Dance” and “Children’s Summer Festival,” organized by the Kasugacho Neighborhood Association, were underway.
↑ The Children’s Summer Festival ran from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m., followed by the Bon dance from 7:00 p.m.
↑ The Children’s Summer Festival featured fun festival games for kids at two venues: Kasuga Community Hall and the park.
↑ The venue was already bustling before the Bon dance even began! Lots of children and their parents had gathered.
↑ As the sun gradually set, the glow of the festival lanterns created a wonderful atmosphere.
↑ The Bon dance began as darkness started to fall.
During the 7:00 p.m. hour, people danced to nostalgic anime-themed Bon dance songs such as “Anpanman Ondo” and “Doraemon Ondo.”
Many local residents gathered, marking the start of a wonderful evening of Bon dancing.
“Kuregawacho Bon Dance” at Kuregawa Park
At Kuregawa Park, the “Kuregawacho Bon Dance” (Kuregawa Bon Dance Festival), organized by the Kuregawacho Neighborhood Association, was held from 7:00 p.m.
There were no food stalls or festival games here—it was an event all about simply enjoying Bon dancing!, with breaks along the way.
Adults and children alike simply came together to have fun dancing. We love how straightforward it was!
The playlist apparently ranged from nostalgic anime dance songs such as “Arare-chan Ondo” and “Cook Robin Ondo” to Southern All Stars’ “Bon Giri Koiuta” and “Dancing Hero.” It’s great fun being able to dance to music from so many different eras!
The Kuregawacho Bon Dance is also scheduled to take place today, Sunday, August 23, from 7:00 p.m., so if you’re interested, be sure to check it out!
Finally
After visiting the venues in person, we could really feel how much each of these festivals is loved by the local community! So many children took part too, and we’re sure it made for a wonderful summer vacation memory.
盆踊りで一番テンション上がる曲は？
