Kaze no bon

Owara Kaze no Bon is a Bon dance held from September 1st to 3rd each year in the Yatsuo district of Toyama City, Toyama Prefecture. Known for the plaintive tones of the kokyū (a bowed string instrument) and the elegant, dreamlike dancing of performers wearing braided hats pulled low over their faces, it boasts high nationwide popularity as a tradition heralding the arrival of autumn in Etchū Toyama.

The name "Kaze no Bon" (Bon of the wind) is said to derive from prayers to calm the wind and ensure an abundant harvest around the "210th day," when typhoons strike. With around 300 years of history, this event stands apart from the liveliness of typical Bon dances, overflowing with quiet sentiment and refinement. In addition to shamisen and drums, the mournful yet beautiful melody of "Etchū Owara-bushi," played on the kokyū distinctive to Owara, deepens the world of the dance still further.

The greatest appeal is the dancing unfolding against the atmospheric streetscape of the hillside town of Yatsuo. At night, paper lanterns are lit at the eaves of the houses, and men and women hiding their faces with braided hats dance gracefully in silence with refined movements. The men's dance is spirited and the women's supple, each competing in its own beauty. The dreamlike scene of the kokyū's tones and the dancers' silhouettes emerging from the darkness powerfully captures the hearts of visitors. Handed down in Etchū Yatsuo, Owara Kaze no Bon is an art of the autumn night, imbued with a beauty special even among Japan's Bon dances.