Gujo Odori Dance Festival, Gifu

“Gujo Odori Dance” is a traditional “Bon Odori” dancing around turret, which is held in Yahata Town, Gujo City, Gifu Prefecture. The Gujo Odori Dance Festival is a long Bon dance in Japan that is danced for 31 nights. The venue changes every night, and it is supposed to go around the city over the summer. Festivals are held in and around the town.
The opening hours of the Gujo Odori Dance Festival are basically from 8 pm to 10 pm on weekdays and Sundays and from 8 pm to 11 pm on Saturdays. Gujo Odori Dance has been singing and dancing in castle town Gujo Hachiman. The history is said to be over 400 years. The origin of Gujo Odori Dance is the Edo period. The castle owner consolidated the Bon Odori dancing in various places to the castle in order to harmonize samurai and town people and farmers.
And it is said that Gujo Odori Dance Festival started, as the castle owner encouraged “Obon’s 4 days to dance regardless of status.” At first it was 4 days of Obon, but it became popular every year and it became a very long Bon dance now.
The highlight is the all-night dancing. Gujo Odori Dance Festival is the longest Bon dancing in Japan, but among them the climax will be on August 13th to 16th 4th. Gujo Odori Dance Festival was a special festival, as it was the opportunity that originally was “Obon’s 4 days can dance regardless of status” as a trigger festival, so now these four days are special.
There is no fixed costume for dancing. It is a characteristic of this festival that anyone can feel free to participate not only locals but also tourists. However, the town of Gujo Hachiman is a town full of summer taste, so it would be better to go out in a yukata. Because it is held in various places during the long festival, it may be interesting to try “dancing lover” by arranging yukata and geta all together. Bon odori in a town where the shadow of a good old castle town remains remarkably surely will make the atmosphere excitement.

Designated as important intangible cultural properties of the country

Gujo Odori Dance Festival, which is said to be the summer tradition of Gujo Hachiman in Gifu Prefecture, is a traditional festival that began in the Edo period and has a history of more than 400 years. This dance which became flourishing to stabilize and reconcile the mind and body of the people, all 10 types of dances are designated as important intangible cultural properties of the country. The biggest feature of this festival that will be held for a total of 32 days is that it is a participatory dance in which locals and tourists dance together.

The point to enjoy is to dance with them

Especially in the period of “All-night Dance” which continues dancing all night from 8 o’clock in the evening to the next morning, it is crowded with about 250 thousand people. And the point to enjoy is to dance with them.
The sense of unity that dances with many people that there are sometimes more than 20,000 people is a masterpiece.

A seminar will be held on Saturdays and Sundays during the festival period

Dancing repeats combinations of seven poses, which is not difficult. It is okay if you are imitating a person dancing around. Still, if you are worried, a seminar will be held on Saturdays and Sundays during the festival period, so it may be good to participate.

“Kawasaki” is the center of dance

Especially if you remember “Kawasaki” which is the center of dance, you can enjoy it enough. Since videos that explain how to dance are distributed, it is a good idea to go after seeing it in advance.

Please try visiting by all means

Since anyone can participate, so if you would like to enjoy both festivals and sightseeing, please try visiting by all means. If you would like to dance until the morning, please check out the schedule and venue on the Official Site and dance it.

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