Bon-Odori, Summer Festival

Washington Park

When

Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025

10 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Cost: Starting at $22.00

Where

Portland Japanese Garden

611 SW Kingston Ave
Portland, OR 97205

The following description was submitted by the event organizer.

A highlight of summer festivals in Japan is the bon-odori (盆踊り/ Bon dance). Each region has its own version of the dance and different music. In Japanese Buddhist tradition, bon-odori is a way to entertain and send off the spirits of our ancestors and celebrate life. Dancers circle the yagura, a high wooden bandstand for the musicians and singers.

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At Portland Japanese Garden, Chris Dart will teach and demonstrate dances by dancers from Oregon Buddhist Temple. Come to learn the dances, see people dressed in yukata, and hear and feel the sound of taiko drums.

Learn more and see the day’s schedule: https://japanesegarden.org/events/bon-odori-summer-festival-2025