Preserving Obon Odori

Obon Odori Musicians Playing and Singing a video by dtk_guy on Flickr.

The video clip for this entry shows members of the Yonezawa Obon Odori Preservation Society performing in the Machi no Hiroba (trans.: open space town square). This was very interesting to me as it featured traditional Japanese musical instruments (shamisen, flute and taiko drums) and a couple of vocalists. Back home in Canada we had the more standard single drummer on a stand in the centre of the rings of dancers with recorded music played over a PA system. I suppose that arrangement can be found in numerous communities in Japan too.

This particular Obon odori was different in that the dances were mixed in with other elements such as ensemble taiko drumming and a recording of an old song played over the PA (with lyrics wondering about what the world would be like in 31 years when the 21st century begins). There was only 1 "yatai"/foodstand unlike the many which can be found at other festivals. As such this event was more about a community association showing what odon odori was like in the days prior to PA systems and recorded music. My co-worker friend who didn't seem to be aware this event was organized by an Obon odori preservation society wasn't impressed by it. I suppose he hasn't been exposed to the modern version.

All in all I found this to be an intriguing event. It was Obon odori with a different agenda: its purpose not just to serve as a means for citizens to go out and have fun but also to educate. While its aims aren't that much different from the Obon odori I've attended in Canada and the USA, the atmosphere of the event was quite different. It wasn't about the descendents of Japanese emigrants abroad laying claim to their ancestral culture, it felt more like the Japanese trying to reach back into their past and make it relevant. In my eyes the ideals and goals are similar but the context was very different.