Niageba Bon Odori: carrying on the memory of Sasara
Niageba Bon Odori
The 2026 edition of Niageba has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/08/13 〜 2026/08/14Ended
- Season / frequency
- August 13 and 14
- Location
- Bairinji Temple (Niageba area, Futatsui-machi, Noshiro City)
- Area
- Akita Prefecture・Noshiro City(From Tokyo: approx. 3 h 40 min–4 h 10 min · bullet train)Prefecture-level estimate to a main station or airport, not the venue. Airport access, check-in and onward travel are extra; remote areas and islands can take much longer.
- Highlights and activities
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
A Bon dance passed down in Niageba, Futatsui-machi, Noshiro City, with roots in Sasara and . You can explore this folk performing art, preserved by the local community, at Bairinji Temple.
About Niageba Bon Odori
Niageba Bon Odori is a Bon dance passed down in Niageba, Futatsui-machi, Noshiro City, Akita Prefecture.
It is said to have originally been known as “Sasara (Sasara-mai, Shishimai)” and to have come to be called a Bon dance because it is performed during the Urabon season.
A local preservation society carries on the tradition, which is also designated as a municipal intangible folk cultural property.
Source: 荷上場盆踊（にあげばぼんおどり） - 能代市 / 観光・教育・文化 - 能代市
Festival highlights
Highlights include the connection between the dance passed down as a Bon dance and the performing art once known as “Sasara” and “Shishimai.”
You can experience up close the folk performing arts rooted in the local community and presented in Niageba.
Another distinctive feature of the event is that it is protected as a municipal-designated intangible folk cultural property.
Niageba Bon Odori: carrying on the memory of Sasara
What to expect
The event takes place during the Urabon season, with the Niageba district and Bairinji Temple as its setting.
Participants perform the Bon dance passed down in the community, while visitors enjoy watching the performance.
The order of the specific dances and the start time have not been announced, so visitors should follow the notices at the venue and directions from the organizers on the day.
Source: 能代市イベントカレンダー - 能代市
Location and access
- Venue and address
Bairinji Temple, in the Niageba area of Futatsui-machi, Noshiro City.
Address Niageba area, Futatsui-machi, Noshiro City, Akita Prefecture
Dates and season
2026 event information (the listed dates have passed)
In 2026, the event is scheduled to take place from August 13 (Thursday) to August 14 (Friday).
The event is held annually on August 13 and 14.
Accommodation and hotels PR
Showing nearby accommodation.
Prices and availability are current at the time of retrieval. For multi-night stays, only the first night’s price is shown. Confirm the final price and directions to the venue with the booking provider. Select your dates again when using the area search link. Search area: within 3 km of Central Akita Prefecture / Noshiro City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
井坂記念館
秋田県の博物館・美術館のスポットです。
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
能代市子ども館
秋田県能代市にある教育施設
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
金勇
秋田県能代市にある観光交流施設
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·Origins and History of Niageba Bon Odori
Niageba Bon Odori is said to have been passed down by the people who accompanied Lord Satake Yoshinobu when he was transferred from Hitachi to Akita.
It was originally called “Sasara (Sasara-mai, Shishimai)” and, from around the Bunka and Bunsei eras in the middle of the Tokugawa period, is said to have come to be called a Bon dance because it was performed during the Urabon season.
However, its origins are uncertain.
Official information
The Noshiro City official website introduces the origins, cultural property designation, dates, and venue in its information about “Niageba Bon Odori (にあげばぼんおどり).”
Niageba Bon Odori at a Glance
Niageba Bon Odori is a Bon dance passed down in Niageba, Futatsui-machi, Noshiro City. It is a folk performing art that was also once known as Sasara or Shishimai.
The tradition has been passed down locally and is protected as a municipal-designated intangible folk cultural property. The venue is Bairinji Temple in the Niageba area.
The event is scheduled to take place from August 13 to 14 in 2026.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/19
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