This Bon dance is performed to see off the spirits of the ancestors. It consists of two parts, Jinku and Dai no Saka. Jinku originates from the dance called Jingo Odori, which was performed to entertain warriors who returned from combat about 450 years ago. Dai no saka has been performed since around 1657. It was introduced under the influence of Nenbutsu Dance (Buddhist Prayer Dance) of Kyoto. The Kemanai Jonkara dance was later added, and today all these dances make up the Bon dance here. After the Shirane Gold mine was found near Kemanai around 1598, the merchants came from Kansai area of Japan, and new towns were established, which made the scale of Bon festival greater. Although the festival was initially held in each town one night, it is now held jointly at Komose street from August 21 to 23 every year.
As the mark of begining of this performance, Yobi Daiko(Drum) is played at 7:30, and dancers start to gather. At 8 pm, they start to dance. The first performance is Dai no Saka. It is played only on Japanese drums and flutes. An elegant dance to solemn music is derived from the Buddhist dance intended to calm the souls of ansestors who come to our world from the other side duing the Buddhist All Soul's Day and return them to the other side. The second performance is Jinku, which does not have musical accompaniment but has a song with lyrics in the pattern of 7-7-7-5 Japanese characters. The dance is rather playful since it came from the dance to celebrate the victory in war. The last performance is Kemanai Jongara Odori(Dance). Since the Meiji period, the youth who enrolled as troops in the Imperial Japanese Army at Hiroski brought this dance.
People wear tomesode, which is kimono for older ladies for formal events, or montsuli, which is kimono for men with family crests for Bon Odori dances. Also, both men and women wrap their heads with a spotted patterned Japanese hand-towel, hiding the mouth, forming unique masks.
The performance of Bon dance on stage
How the actual Bon Dance festical looks (English subtitles available)
Current activities
This Bon dance is performed during Bon period every year.
Date: August 21 to 23
Time: 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm (on all days)
Place: Komose street (Honcho street), Kemanai, Kazuno City
How to get there
Take the Ou line from Akita station to Odate station and transfer to the Hanawa line at Odate station. Get off at Towada Minami station. Walk about 20 minutes from there.
毛马内的盆舞
这是在送盆时期举办的,通过大太鼓与笛子囃子跳的大之坂舞,以及没有加入囃子,只有歌唱搭配舞蹈的甚句舞等两个表演项目。大之坂舞是取自京都念佛舞的流派,甚句舞是犒赏在南部领的约450年前战后归来的将士而跳的舞才开始的。现在这个舞还加入毛马内JYONKARA舞,形成了盆舞。这是以两种舞为基础围绕着篝火跳的轮舞,舞者总是朝向内部,以缓慢的步调跳舞。
毛馬內的盆舞
這是在送盆時期舉辦的,透過大太鼓與笛子囃子跳的大之坂舞,以及沒有加入囃子,只有歌唱搭配舞蹈的甚句舞等兩個表演項目。大之坂舞是取自京都念佛舞的流派,甚句舞是犒賞在南部領的約450年前戰後歸來的將士而跳的舞才開始的。現在這個舞還加入毛馬內JYONKARA舞,形成了盆舞。這是以兩種舞為基礎圍繞著篝火跳的輪舞,舞者總是朝向內部,以輕鬆的音調跳舞。