Bon Odori Festival at Tokyo Daijingu (August 7th and 8th, 2024)
Join the Daijingu Bon Odori Festival 2024: A Free, Family-Friendly Summer Event
Discover the Unique Bon Odori Tradition at Tokyo Daijingu: Over 50 Years of History and Festivities
Bon Odori is a traditional event in Japan where we welcome the spirits of our ancestors during the Obon period, spend time with them, and then send them off. It is a solemn event with a history of about 500 years, dating back to the Muromachi period. Besides honoring ancestors, Bon Odori also serves as a means of community interaction. The “Awa Odori” performed at the Kagurazaka Matsuri (Festival) from July 24th to 27th, 2024, is also a form of Bon Odori.
Tokyo Daijingu: From Remote Worship Hall to the Birthplace of Shinto Weddings
In 1900, when Tokyo Daijingu was still in Hibiya, the wedding ceremony of Crown Prince Yoshihito (later Emperor Taisho) was held at the Imperial Palace. To commemorate the first imperial wedding ceremony held before the deities within the Imperial Palace, Tokyo Daijingu pioneered Shinto weddings for the general public. Due to this history and frequent features on TV and in magazines as a shrine for matchmaking, Tokyo Daijingu is popular among women and foreign tourists as a power spot for love.
Enhance Your Bon Odori Experience with Strolling, Izakayas, and Geisha Bars in Kagurazaka
Tokyo Daijingu is about a 3-minute walk from Ushigome Gomon (Gate), the starting point of Kagurazaka. Why not enjoy a stroll through the charming streets of Kagurazaka, visit izakayas, or experience geisha bars before or after the Bon Odori Festival? It will surely make your summer in Japan more enjoyable.