[2026] Bon Odori songs every child knows! A roundup of fun festival tunes
Bon Odori, a quintessential summer tradition! Festival stalls sell games and delicious food, making it hugely popular with kids.
Here, we’ll introduce a variety of wonderful Bon Odori songs—from tunes children already know to unique arrangements of J-pop and Western music.
Lots of new songs are appearing, too.
Don’t worry if you’re not sure about the dance steps—what matters is having fun.
Kids and adults alike, be sure to join in Bon Odori and make some great memories!
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[2026] Bon Odori Songs Every Child Knows! A Fun Festival Song Collection (21–30)
Kuwagata Ondo
Kero-pons, famous for songs like “Ebikanix” and for concerts at kindergartens and nursery schools, and Ryuzo Fukuda created the song “Kuwagata Ondo.” This “kuwagata” of course refers to stag beetles.
It’s a fun song about stag beetles set to the rhythm of an ondo.
Traditional ondo often features work songs or themes about local culture and isn’t necessarily aimed at children, but this “Kuwagata Ondo” is a song we can wholeheartedly recommend for kids! We hope it helps children discover just how fun ondo can be.
Laughing out loud to the festival music
This is a song by King Cream Soda that was used as the opening theme for the anime Yo-kai Watch.
Yo-kai Watch is, as you know, very popular among children.
It’s not a traditional Bon Odori tune, but having a lively dance track like this might be fun too! The video we’re sharing is a choreography tutorial made for Bon Odori.
Be sure to use it as a reference when you want everyone to dance together.
It takes a bit of work to learn, but once you can dance it, I think even adults will have a great time with this song!
[2026] Bon Odori songs every child knows! A fun roundup of festival songs (31–40)
Shin-chan Ondo ~Come Dance with Me~
From children to their parents’ generation, the anime Crayon Shin-chan enjoys nationwide popularity.
This is one of the anime’s ending themes, and it’s a fun ondō number packed with that unmistakable Crayon Shin-chan flavor.
Astonishingly, it kicks off with a samba intro! Then, when the drums go “dodon” and the shinobue flute trills “pi-hyarari,” you’re instantly transported to the sights of a Japanese summer.
With vocals by Haruo Minami, the Japanese mood is turned up even more.
Shin-chan’s interjections are wonderful, too, making it a delightful song the whole family can enjoy.
Sazae-san
On Sunday evenings, the beloved national anime Sazae-san warms hearts all across Japan.
Its opening theme is sure to be a hit with everyone from kids to the elderly.
There are probably plenty of people who can sing it without looking at the lyrics—it’s that ingrained in our culture.
Rather than dancing strictly to set choreography, it seems more fun to just move your body freely.
By the way, it’s not widely circulated, but there is a song called the “Sazae-san Ondo.”
Santaro Ondo
Santaro Ondo, sung in AU’s Santaro Series commercials.
Kenta Kiritani, who plays Urashima Taro, performs the song, and following his previous hit Umi no Koe, it was released digitally in 2017.
Set to a classic Bon-odori-style melody, the lyrics sing about the three Taros from the commercials—Momotaro, Urashima Taro, and Kintaro.
Since it was frequently played in the ads, many children may already know it.
With call-and-response parts and an easy-to-sing tune, it’s perfect for singing and dancing along—have fun with it!
Yagi-bushi
It is a Japanese folk song that originated mainly in the areas of Ashikaga City in Tochigi Prefecture and Kiryu and Ota Cities in Gunma Prefecture.
In Kiryu, the “Kiryu Yagibushi Festival” is held every August, featuring performances such as the Yagibushi dance and the Yagibushi ondo.
From kindergarten through elementary and junior high school, a gently arranged, child-friendly version called “Kodomo Yagibushi Odori” is also a popular tune nationwide.
Children’s Bon Odori Song
The children’s Bon Odori song “Kodomo Bon Odori Uta” was created for kids in Hokkaido.
The song was composed with the hope that children would enjoy dancing the Bon Odori, and it was released in 1952.
For children in Hokkaido, it may be a particularly familiar Bon Odori tune.
Its tempo is much more relaxed than many commonly danced Bon Odori songs, so it should be easy to dance to not only for children in Hokkaido but for kids across Japan as well.
There are sections with choreography that matches the lyrics, making it easy even for first-time dancers to learn.
If you’re in the mood to enjoy a gentle, laid-back Bon Odori, give it a try.