woodworkJuly 14, 2026

Nishimonai no Bon Odori

Nishimonai no Bon Odori (西馬音内の盆踊り) is a bon dance (盆踊り) transmitted in Nishimonai, Ugo Town, Ogachi District, Akita Prefecture. It is designated as a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property (重要無形民俗文化財) and is registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. The dance is regarded as one of the three major bon dances of both Akita Prefecture and Japan as a whole.

History

No recorded documents on the origin or history of Nishimonai no Bon Odori are known to survive. Two principal oral traditions account for its beginnings. According to the first, the dance originated during the Shōō era (1288–1293), when a wandering monk named Genshin led a dance as a harvest festival in the precinct of Zaō Gongen, the site of the present-day Ontake Shrine. According to the second tradition, in the 6th year of the Keichō period (慶長6年), following the defeat of Nishimonai castle lord Onodera Shigemichi by Mogami Yoshiaki of Yamagata during the late Sengoku period, the lord's retainers and local people held a memorial bon dance. Folklorist Matsuo Kōichi has stated that the tradition concerning a monk more than 700 years ago is merely a legend whose accuracy cannot be confirmed.

The earliest documented external reference to the dance dates to 1907 (Meiji 40), when haiku poet Kawahigashi Hekigotō, traveling across Japan, stayed one night in Nishimonai and recorded his observations of the bon dance in his book Sanzenri. In July 1928 (Shōwa 3), at the request of the Tokyo Nichinichi Shimbun, a temporary bon dance festival was held, drawing unexpected outside attention to the tradition. In 1934 (Shōwa 9), the dance was performed away from its home location for the first time, at events in Yuzawa Town in May and Akita City in September.

In 1935 (Shōwa 10), the dance was selected by the prefecture to represent the Tōhoku region at the 9th National Local Dance and Folk Song Festival (全国郷土舞踊民謡大会), hosted by Nippon Seinenkan in Tokyo. In preparation for this performance, the basic form of the dance was established by extracting elements from old choreography known by elders and making revisions. At the same time, shamisen, kō (鼓), and kane (鉦) were newly added to the hayashi ensemble, and performers began wearing matching indigo-dyed yukata and mameshibori headbands.

The Nishimonai Bon Odori Preservation Society (西馬音内盆踊保存会) was established in 1947 (Shōwa 22). In 1958 (Shōwa 33), the festival schedule was revised from the traditional lunar calendar period of five days (16th to 20th of the 7th lunar month) to three days on the new calendar, running from August 16 to 18. On August 12, 1971, the dance was featured on NHK's program Furusato no Uta Matsuri. Nishimonai no Bon Odori was officially designated as a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property on January 21, 1981.

In 1999 (Heisei 11), the Preservation Society received the 7th Regional Traditional Performing Arts Award – Preservation and Succession Prize from the General Foundation for Regional Traditional Performing Arts Utilization Center. In 2003 (Heisei 15), it received the 25th Suntory Regional Culture Award from the Suntory Foundation for the Arts. In 2020, the festival was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It resumed with an audience in 2022, the first time in three years. On November 30, 2022, Nishimonai Bon Odori was officially registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage as part of the collective element Furyu Odori (風流踊り), comprising 41 items from 24 prefectures across Japan.

Techniques & Production Process

The festival is held annually from August 16 to August 18 along Nishimonai Honmachi-dori. A hayashi (囃子) stage is set up in the center of Nishimonai, bonfires are lit along the road, and dancers costumed as spirits (亡霊) dance around the fires. The dance begins at the signal of hayashi performers (囃子方) positioned on top of a yagura (矢倉) — a raised platform — constructed in the center of the street.

The hayashi ensemble is performed with instruments including flute, large and small drums, hand drum (鼓), shamisen, surigane, and kane (鉦). Two types of songs are performed: jinkу (甚句) and jiguchi (地口). The ondo dance is performed to jiguchi, while ganke is based on jinkу at a faster tempo than the ondo. The lyrics and dancing of ganke are said to carry the sorrow of the dance of the dead (亡者).

How to Identify Nishimonai no Bon Odori

The costumes of Nishimonai no Bon Odori are among its most recognizable features. Dancers wear yukata or hirasode (平袖) together with either a woven sedge hat (編み笠) or a hood (頭巾) that exposes only the eyes. The hood that covers the face while revealing only the eyes is specifically called Hikosa zukin (彦三頭巾). Female dancers wear handmade half-moon shaped woven hats and a costume called hanui (端縫い), which is made by sewing together multiple pieces of cloth. Additional identifying features include indigo-dyed yukata and a red sash called shigoki-obi (しごき帯). The face-covering costumes are said to represent the dead (死者).

The Craft Today

Nishimonai no Bon Odori continues to be performed annually from August 16 to 18 on Nishimonai Honmachi-dori in Ugo Town, Akita Prefecture. The Nishimonai Bon Odori Preservation Society, established in 1947, remains the primary organization responsible for the transmission and continuity of the tradition. The dance's recognition has grown significantly at the international level following its registration on November 30, 2022, as part of the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage element Furyu Odori, which encompasses 41 items from 24 prefectures. After a period of interruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival resumed with a public audience in 2022. Akita Prefecture is also home to other notable traditional crafts, including Odate Magewappa, the bentwood box craft produced in the same region.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Nishimonai no Bon Odori?

Nishimonai no Bon Odori is a traditional bon dance transmitted in Nishimonai, Ugo Town, Ogachi District, Akita Prefecture. It is regarded as one of the three major bon dances of both Akita Prefecture and Japan, alongside Kemamai no Bon Odori and Hitoichi no Bon Odori in Akita.

When and where is the festival held?

The festival is held annually from August 16 to August 18 along Nishimonai Honmachi-dori in Ugo Town, Akita Prefecture.

What designations has Nishimonai no Bon Odori received?

It was designated as a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property on January 21, 1981. On November 30, 2022, it was registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage as part of the collective element Furyu Odori, comprising 41 items from 24 prefectures.

What are the distinctive costumes worn by dancers?

Dancers wear yukata or hirasode together with either a woven sedge hat (編み笠) or a hood called Hikosa zukin (彦三頭巾) that exposes only the eyes. Female dancers wear handmade half-moon shaped woven hats and a hanui (端縫い) costume made from multiple sewn cloth pieces. Indigo-dyed yukata and a red sash (shigoki-obi) are also characteristic. The face-covering costumes are said to represent the dead.

What is the origin of the dance?

No original written records of the dance's history survive. Oral traditions attribute its beginnings either to the Shōō era (1288–1293), when a monk named Genshin reportedly led a harvest festival dance, or to the Keichō period, when retainers of the defeated Nishimonai castle lord Onodera Shigemichi are said to have held a memorial bon dance. Folklorist Matsuo Kōichi has noted that the former tradition cannot be confirmed and is considered a legend.