Owara Kaze no Bon festival begins in Yatsuo, Toyama

The traditional festival ‘Etchu Yatsuo Owara Kaze no Bon’ commenced on September 1 in Yatsuo, Toyama City, marking the arrival of autumn. The three-day event features dancers in traditional attire, including woven hats (amigasa), performing elegant dances to the melancholic sounds of shamisen and kokyu instruments.

On the first day, approximately 110,000 visitors attended the festivities, an increase from the 80,000 attendees recorded last year. The event, which has a history of roughly 300 years, includes town processions (machi-nagashi) and circle dances (wa-odori) across 11 local districts. The dances consist of vigorous male styles and graceful female styles, performed under the glow of bonbori lanterns.

The festival serves as a prayer for bountiful harvests and protection against wind and water damage. To support the event, a crowdfunding campaign raised approximately 6.4 million yen, which is being used for heatstroke prevention measures, such as providing drinking water and fans for staff and performers.