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bon odori
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Bon dance
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bon odori

Japanese dance
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Bon dance
Bon dance Bon odori, or dance for the dead, from the hand scroll “Twelve Months of the Year,” Tosa school, c. 1700; in the collection of Richard Gale.

Bon Odori is a traditional Japanese dance performed during the Bon festival, which honors deceased ancestors. Celebrated annually from July 13-15 (or August 13-15), Bon is a time when spirits are believed to return to their homes. The Bon dance, a key element of the festival, is said to have originated from the joyful dance performed by monks when Maudgalyayana's mother was released from suffering, as told in the Ullambana Sutra. These dances are often performed in circles around a central platform called a yagura, and can be seen in Japanese communities worldwide.12

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2 Britannica Sources
  1. Bon
  2. Japanese music - Biwa , vocal , and folk music

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