Owara Kaze No Bon Festival Kicks off in Toyama; Dancers, Players of Shamisen Lutes, Chinese Fiddles Parade through City

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:17 JST, September 2, 2025

TOYAMA — The Owara Kaze no Bon Festival, a traditional event praying for abundant harvests, kicked off in the Yatsuomachi district in Toyama on Monday.

Dancers parade through the streets for three days and nights to folk song Etchu Owara Bushi, accompanied by performances on shamisen three-stringed lutes and kokyu Chinese fiddles. The festival dates back to the Edo period (1603-1867).

Amid lanterns glowing in the dark, men and women clad in yukata summer kimono and happi coats with woven straw hats pulled down low over their eyes performed an elegant dance, attracting many tourists.

In January, The New York Times selected Toyama as one of “52 Places to Go in 2025,” with the festival spotlighted.

“I was curious [about the festival] because it has been much discussed,” said Natsumi Kajiya, 37, of Tomiya, Miyagi Prefecture. “It’s so beautiful with a solemn atmosphere.”