August 2 Bon Odori -- Schedule, Dances, and More

Tge 2025 Bon Odori on Saturday, August 2, is only a few weeks away! Our Temple members are working hard to get things ready for you. We can share some information as follows:

Although plans are subject to change, and more information will follow, for your planning here is a rough schedule, a list of the dances to be performed, and related information.

ROUGH SCHEDULE, dances

Times shown are estimates and may vary.

4:30 p.m. GATES OPEN for attendees

Food Vendors have been asked to be ready at open so people won’t have to wait in long lines later.
Entertainment will start shortly after the gates open. More specific list of performance times will be posted soon.

6:15 p.m. GETTING READY; Dancers Assemble
6:30 p.m. PROCESSION to Form Dance Circles
6:35 p.m. DANCING BEGINS (First Half)

1. Bon Odori Uta
2. Kyo Mo Egao de Konnichiwa
3. Asadoya Yunta
4. Tanko Bushi
5. Lantern Song
6. Pokemon Ondo
7. Kuroshio Bayashi (tenugui, towel)
8. Hokkai No Abarembo

HALF-TIME BREAK

We have half-time entertainment for your enjoyment, including taiko drummers from many groups in San Diego. Details to follow.

7:45 p.m. DANCING RESUMES (Second Half)

9. Ei Ja Nai Ka
10. Akachan Ondo (kachi kachi, clackers)
11. Tokyo Ondo
12. Hanabi Ondo
13. Jin Jin Hokkai Bon Uta (osensu/uchiwa, fans—folding or flat)
14. Shiawase Samba
15. Beautiful Sunday
16. 1 + 1
17. Bon Odori Uta

Note: You don’t need items like tenugui, kachi kachi, or osensu/uchiwa (towel, clackers, fans) to dance, but often such items are available at the Obon Again Shop. Also, for dances requiring a fan, the Temple usually passes out loaners before a dance that uses fans.

FOLLOWING THE DANCE

  • We ask attendees who are able to help us put away the chairs and other items after the Bon Odori.

  • The Jr. YBA Raffle will be conducted, with many great prizes.

TO EXPLORE

In addition to the food vendors and the dancing, we have other components of our Gathering of Joy.

Obutsudan (Buddhist altar) to the side of the parking area, so you can offer incense, pay your respects to the Buddha, and express your gratitude for those who came before. The large Obutsudan will be positioned under the walkway flanking the main building.

Jr. YBA Raffle. Tickets are $5 each with a large number of prizes. Proceeds support the activities of the Junior Young Buddhists Association as they present and attend seminars across the Southern District.

Obon Again Asian Resale Shop in the Sangha Hall. Look for a walkway to this one-story building just behind some of the food booths. Bargain prices on gently used Japanese yukata, kimono, geta, art, and more, at all price points. All sales benefit the Temple scholarship fund.

A Cool Down Area is now available as the top floor of our large Annex Hall, which is now air conditioned!

STILL TIME TO LEARN NEW DANCES

Between now and the Bon Odori, rehearsals are being held each Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. and each Sunday morning at 11 a.m. All rehearsals are held in our air-conditioned Annex Hall and usually last two hours.

Shout Out to Our Great Dance Teachers

Not only do the teachers help us learn the dances during rehearsals, they dance in an inner circle during the dances so we can check our own dancing.

Teachers for this year are

Avis Honda
Breven Honda
JoAnn Hotta
Eugene Hotta 
Junko Kajita
Kimberly Kruse
Juliana Kruse
Sue Moribe
Shirley Omori
Jamie Shimizu

Thank you to our teachers for all their help.

BT SD