Location: Kemanai, Towada, Kazuno City
Site(s) of performance: Various places in the community
Date(s): August 21-23
Designation: State-Designated Important Intangible Folkloric Cultural Property
Category: Bon Dance
This Bon dance is performed to see off the spirits of the ancestors. The Dai-no-saka dance is performed with big drums and Japanese flutes. The Jinku dance is performed only with songs. The Dai-no-saka dance was introduced here under the influence of Nenbutsu Dance (Buddhist Prayer Dance) of Kyoto, and the Jinku dance started about 450 years ago when it was danced to entertain warriors who returned from combat. The Kemanai Jonkara dance was later added, and today all these dances make up the Bon dance here. People dance rather slowly and elegantly in a circle around the bonfire, facing it all the time.

About Bon Dance