{"id":103892,"date":"2024-09-13T09:57:27","date_gmt":"2024-09-13T00:57:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?p=103892"},"modified":"2024-09-26T11:52:04","modified_gmt":"2024-09-26T02:52:04","slug":"bon-odori-at-tsukijis-hongwanji-temple","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/bon-odori-at-tsukijis-hongwanji-temple\/","title":{"rendered":"Joining the Dance: A Magical Bon Odori at Tsukiji\u2019s Hongwanji Temple"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Across many parts of the western world, the bitter gray tedium of winter is made just about bearable by the timely arrival of jolly old Christmas with its tinsel-draped rituals and sense of communal abandon. It is in a similar fashion, and no doubt through similar motives, that the people of Japan have created for themselves a-thousand-and-one sparkly and lantern-lit summer diversions, adding magic and mischief to the sweltering air of this otherwise stamina-testing season<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Everyone can take part in Bon odori <\/em>dances. Photo: Todd Fong<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

As the sky weighs down like a great indigo blob, and the hysterical hiss of cicadas fills your ears, it becomes hard to turn a Tokyo corner without running into a riotous procession, a mysterious moonlit ceremony, or a shower of stupendously expensive fireworks<\/strong>. The sounds of chanting and clanging, which fill every second side-street, are accompanied by the muscular banging of taiko drums, echoing out in a life-affirming triumph of thunderous noise and color.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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