Japanese ondō: a seasonal tradition everyone can enjoy.

Sumiyoshi Odori

Sumiyoshi Dance [Sumiyoshi Taisha Otaue Rice-Planting Ritual 2024] Insect-repellent dance / Shrine ritual in Osaka

This is a sacred and dynamic dedicatory dance song that has been passed down at Sumiyoshi Taisha in Osaka.

The lively rhythms marked by shamisen and drums seem to embody the very prayers of people wishing for a bountiful harvest.

During the rituals, charming young maidens dance with fans in hand.

Their presence overflows with vitality even amid the solemn atmosphere, lifting the hearts of all who watch.

Why not experience its sacred resonance and feel the breath of Osaka’s long history?

Sano’s seduction

Sano Kudoki (Bon Odori of Izumisano City)

A richly narrative bon-odori song handed down since the Edo period in Izumisano City, Osaka Prefecture.

Its lilting 7-5 rhythm, delivered in a conversational style over shamisen and drum beats, resonates deeply.

It’s the kind of piece that makes you feel as if you’re watching a grand historical scroll unfold.

Highly regarded for its cultural value, it has been recognized as a component cultural property of Japan Heritage.

Why not give it a listen when you want to reflect on Osaka’s history and the lives of its people?

Makio Mountain Nobori-raising Ondo

Maki'o Mountain Nobori-age Ondo / Futsunami-cho, Izumi City

One of the folk songs born in Izumi City, Osaka Prefecture, in the early Meiji period.

It is said to have begun as a travelers’ song sung while walking, with people raising banners during the public unveiling of sacred images at Makiōzan Temple.

A lively call-and-response overlays the cheerful Ise-ondo–style rhythm, conjuring up the bustling scene of a pilgrim procession.

The lyrics weave in local specialties like oranges, along with the scenery and atmosphere of the time, expressing affection for the region amid the merriment.

It may be the perfect piece when you want to attune your ears to Osaka’s long history and the prayers of the people who lived there.

Yokoyama Ondo

[Okubo Ward Summer Bon Odori] ~Traditional Yokoyama Ondo~ Osaka, Kumatori Town!

This is a bon odori song cherished in Kumatori Town.

Incorporating elements of joruri narrative music and kabuki, its lyrics weave in stories of pilgrims’ journeys and partings, evoking the lives of people in days gone by.

Over time, this ondo has evolved into a more danceable tempo—for example, tradition-bearer Kazuyoshi Kawai introduced the lively phrasing of the “Kawachi Ondo.” Perhaps its charm lies in the warm-hearted wish to let many people enjoy it while preserving tradition.

Kashii-san and dance

Reiwa 6 (2024) Kashii-san-ya Dance

This is a passionate bon-odori song that has been lovingly passed down in Izumisano City, Osaka Prefecture.

To the powerful rhythm of drums resounding from atop the yagura, dancers repeat short phrases and dance through the night.

It is said to have originally been performed to lift the spirits of soldiers wounded in the Battle of Kashii during the Summer Siege of Osaka.

You can feel in the music the festival’s fervor that connects generations and a deep love for one’s hometown.

It is designated as an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Izumisano City.

Kaizuka San’ya Ondo

Kaizuka San'ya Ondo

This dance song, passed down in the Senshu region since ancient times, is a traditional performing art that truly embodies the spirit of the community.

Its origins are said to date back to 1583, when people danced for three days and nights to celebrate the birth of a new stronghold.

With short verses and lively chants layered one upon another, this work lifts the listener’s heart.

Don’t you feel that each sung phrase carries the joy of our forebears and their hopes for the future? Designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of the city in February 1998, it has been carefully preserved as a regional treasure to this day.

Just imagining people dancing in a circle while the drums resound with the distinctive chong-gake rhythm is enough to make one’s heart swell.

Kaikake Ondo

Reiwa 5 Kaikake Summer Evening Festival Kaikake Ondo

This is a Bon Odori chant that has been lovingly passed down in the Kaigake area of the Senshu region in Osaka.

Although it once died out after the war, it was brilliantly revived in 1990 through the efforts of local volunteers.

The 7-7-7-5 meter, punctuated by long interludes of flute and drum, seems to synchronize with the circle of dancers and their breathing.

Don’t you feel that the warm resonance of the music carries the spirit of those determined to preserve their hometown’s traditions? In March 2008, it was designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Hannan City.

During the Kaigake Summer Evening Festival, you can still see local residents dancing together in a circle.