Japanese summers feel like they begin and end with festivals. From a foreigner’s perspective, they might wonder if Japanese people ever work during the summer, with so many festivals taking place. The core of these summer festivals is the Bon Odori. During the Obon season, lively festival music can be heard everywhere, and Bon Odori, held across the country, is one of the summer’s joys for ordinary people. Originally, Bon Odori was meant to entertain and honor the spirits of ancestors who returned during Obon and then send them off again.
The origin of Bon Odori dates back to the Heian period when it was initiated by the monk Kūya. It was later popularized in the Kamakura period by the monk Ippen. It is said that the original form of Bon Odori was the ‘Nenbutsu Odori,’ a dance accompanied by the chanting of Buddhist prayers, as well as the beating of gongs and drums. Later, during the Nanbokuchō and Muromachi periods, a refined aesthetic sense called ‘fūryū’ became popular, characterized by ornate and elaborate designs. Under the influence of ‘fūryū,’ Bon Odori evolved into a dance accompanied by lively music with flutes and drums, and performers dressed in colorful costumes.
Today, Bon Odori is held throughout Japan. Among them, the three most famous Bon Odori are the Nishimonai Bon Odori (in Ugo Town, Akita Prefecture), the Awa Odori (in Tokushima City, Tokushima Prefecture), and the Gujo Odori (in Hachiman Town, Gujo City, Gifu Prefecture). The Awa Odori, which begins today, is leading the way, marking the climax of this summer.

日本の夏は祭りに明けて祭りに暮れる感があります。外国人から見たら、日本の夏は祭りだらけで日本人はいつ働いているのだろうと思うでしょうね。夏祭りの中核になるのは盆踊りです。お盆の時期になるとどこからともなく聞こえてくる賑やかな祭り囃子、全国各地で行われる盆踊りは庶民の夏の楽しみのひとつです。この盆踊りとは、本来はお盆に帰ってきたご先祖をもてなして供養し、再び送り出すためのものといわれています。
盆踊りの起源は、平安時代に空也上人によって始められ、鎌倉時代に一遍上人によって一気に広められました。念仏を唱えながら鉦（かね）や太鼓をなどを叩きながら踊る『踊り念仏』が盆踊りの原型といわれています。その後、南北朝、室町時代になると人目をひく華美で趣向を凝らした美意識を持つ“風流”が流行しました。その“風流”の影響を受け、盆踊りは派手な衣装で笛や太鼓などの賑やかな演奏とともに踊られるようになりました。
盆踊りは今や日本全国のつづ浦々で催されます。中でも、日本三大盆踊りと言われている、西馬音内盆踊り（にしもないぼんおどり、秋田県羽後町）、阿波踊り(徳島県徳島市)、郡上踊り（ぐじょうおどり、岐阜県郡上市八幡町）の先陣を切って、今日から阿波踊りが始まります。今年の夏もいよいよクライマックスです。