Dancing Matsuzaka-bushi and Berobero-bushi at the Town Crossroads

Bon Odori was once danced at crossroads throughout the town of Toyooka. Photographs from the early Showa period show people gathering in the streets, forming circles, and dancing together.

Matsuzaka-bushi and Berobero-bushi, traditional Bon dances passed down in Toyooka, carry these memories into the present. They were not performances to watch from a distance, but occasions where anyone could naturally join the circle, meet others, and share time together.

At this year’s Toyooka Theater Festival, we invite you to experience this spirit once again with a Bon dance gathering on the road in front of the Meeting Spot. Whether you are visiting the festival or live in the community, whether you are a child or an adult, whether you dance or simply watch, we hope you will join the circle and enjoy Bon Odori with us.

Feel free to watch from the side, or step into the circle and dance. Everyone is welcome.

We look forward to welcoming you.

At the Meeting Spot, photographs and archival materials documenting Bon Odori at Toyooka’s crossroads will also be on display. We hope you enjoy exploring them alongside the dance.