Tokyo’s famous Shibuya crossing is scheduled to be closed off early August to make way for its first “Bon Odori” dance festival.
The Japanese celebrate a festival called “Obon” to honor the spirits of deceased ancestors and have been doing so for centuries. During these festivals, a “Bon-Odori” dance is performed. The dance differs per region as well as the exact date that they are celebrated.
For Shibuya, it will be the first time that a “Bon-Odori” dance festival will be held in front of the Shibuya 109 department store, which overlooks the famous crossing, according to Shibuya Dogenzaka via SoraNews24.
Once the crossing has been closed off, a scaffold called a “yagura” will be erected in the middle of the festival area. This is where musicians and principal dancers will perform, while people attending the festival may also join the dance. All they have to do is copy what the principal dancers are doing as they circle the “yagura”, the report said.
Much like other festivities around the world, the occasion won’t be as lively without food stalls, vendors, bonfires, fireworks and some live music performances to add to the mood.
The festival is scheduled for August 5 and will run from 6pm till 9:30pm. If you happen to have travel plans to Japan by then, it’s your chance to see and experience a very different Shibuya crossing. Alfred Bayle/KI
