🎎 Owara Kaze no Bon (Owara Wind Festival)

Yao Town in Toyama City, Toyama Prefecture, is a famous mountain town. During the Edo period, it thrived due to sericulture, later developing into a post town. Today, in the Suwa Town Hondori area, there are still stone-paved roads and traditional white-walled houses, preserving what can be considered a primitive landscape of Japan. Including Suwa Town, a total of 11 towns have been selected as one of the "100 Roads of Japan." From September 1st to 3rd each year, a festival called "Echuu Yao Owara Kaze no Bon" is held here. It is generally believed to have originated during the Genroku era (1688-1740) and is a folk festival that the local people have diligently passed down for over three hundred years. During the festival, thousands of bon lanterns line the streets, and men and women dressed in matching happi coats or yukata dance gracefully to the sounds of shamisen, kokyu, and taiko drums. The music, tinged with a hint of melancholy, resonates infinitely in the heart. The event runs from 3 PM on the first and second days, and from 7 PM on the last day, until 11 PM each night. The nighttime illumination of the bon lanterns is particularly recommended. There are also "waodori" (circle dances) performed in various areas and "machinagashi," where dancers move while dancing. The attire of the dancers and local people varies by region, creating a unique atmosphere that blends with the local landscape. Additionally, the "Yao Owara Museum" is also worth a visit. Inside the museum, reconstructed from traditional houses, images and documents showcase and introduce the "Owara Kaze no Bon."

In Yao Town, which preserves the streets of the Edo period, a folk music event that has been carefully passed down for over three hundred years is held. On the streets illuminated by thousands of Bon lanterns, male and female dancers gracefully perform to the sounds of the shamisen and other instruments. The different costumes from various regions are also noteworthy. The nights lit by the Bon lanterns are particularly dreamy and enchanting. At the "Yao OWARA Museum," visitors can gain a deeper understanding of the "OWARA Kazeno Bon" through images and documentary materials.