Bon dances in Kazuno, led by bonfires and a great drum
Kazuno Bon dances
The 2026 edition of Kazuno Bon dances has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/08/21 〜 2026/08/23Ended
- Season / frequency
- Every year from August 21 through the 23rd / Every year
- Location
- Honcho Street in Towada Kemanai (Kemanai Komose Street)
- Area
- Akita Prefecture・Kazuno 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
- Wishes behind the festival
- Participation / viewing
- Spectators welcome
- Participation fee
- Spectator seats: 500 yen; camera photography permit: 500 yen
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
Kazuno Bon dances are performed around bonfires to the beat of a great drum and songs. At the Kemanai , 3 traditional dances unfold along the town street.
About Kazuno Bon dances
The Kazuno Bon dances are events passed down in the region centered on Kazuno City, Akita Prefecture.
They are built around three elements: a great drum, Bon Odori songs, and dancing, and are held in each community during the Bon period observed one month later than the usual dates.
The Kemanai Bon Odori is a leading example, passed down as a circle dance performed around bonfires.
These dances, associated with honoring ancestors and prayers for a good harvest, carry the region’s important culture into the present.
Source: 鹿角の盆踊り - Wikipedia / 文化遺産データベース
Festival highlights
A highlight is the bonfire lit in the middle of the street, with a long, narrow dance circle formed around it.
During the opening Onozaka Dance, drums and flutes accompany the dancing; the following Jinku Dance centers on singing.
The dancers face inward and move with slow, graceful steps.
From the call drums and great drum to the final Kemanai Jonkara Dance, you can enjoy the transitions in music and dance.
Source: 毛馬内盆踊り（けまないぼんおどり） 公式ホームページ
Bon dances in Kazuno, led by bonfires and a great drum
What to expect
The 2026 Kemanai Bon Odori was described as beginning with signals such as the call drums, followed by dancers gathering on the town street.
The dances proceed in this order: the Onozaka Dance, Jinku Dance, and Kemanai Jonkara Dance.
The Onozaka Dance is accompanied by flutes and drums, while the Jinku Dance is performed to songs.
Rather than simply watching, people of all ages and genders are said to be able to join the Kazuno Bon dances.
How to take part
The dance has been passed down as something people of all ages and genders can join. This Bon Odori is not just for watching—you can join the circle and enjoy dancing.
Those who dance at the venue are traditionally encouraged to wear and geta.
Please note that a separate camera photography permit is required to take photos from inside the dance circle.
Follow staff instructions when taking photos; you may not ask dancers or singers to pose.
The general public can join the dancing by entering the circle of dances passed down in the local community.
According to the 2026 event information, reserved spectator seats and camera photography permits were to go on sale from 2 p.m. on the day, with advance reservations also accepted for visitors traveling from far away and others.
If you enter the circle to take photos with a photography permit, you must follow the time limits and staff instructions.
Please check the event information for details on where to register and whether advance registration is required to join the dancing.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Honcho Street in Towada Kemanai (Kemanai Komose Street).
Located in Towada Kemanai, Kazuno City, Akita Prefecture.
- Train and bus
30 minutes by bus from JR Kazuno-Hanawa Station; get off at Kemanai Kamimachi, then walk 3 minutes.
- By car
About 5 minutes from Towada IC, about 20 minutes from Kazuno-Hachimantai IC, and about 15 minutes from Kosaka IC.
Source: 概要と開催状況／鹿角市 / 会場までのアクセス - 「毛馬内盆踊り」会場までのアクセスについて
Address Kemanai, Towada, Kazuno City, Akita Prefecture
Dates and season
2026 Event Information (the listed dates have passed)
The festival is usually held over 3 days, from August 21 through the 23rd.
In 2026, it was announced as scheduled from August 21 (Friday) through Sunday the 23rd, starting at 6:30 p.m.
The official schedule listed call drums, the Onozaka Dance, the Jinku Dance, the Kemanai Jonkara Dance, and other performances on different days from the 21st through the 23rd.
An announcement also said that the venue would move to the Towada Civic Center gymnasium in case of rain.
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 / Kazuno City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The event takes place around bonfires on a town street at night, so please watch your step and be mindful of the movements of people around you.
To take photos from inside the dance circle, you must purchase a camera photography permit and follow staff announcements.
Photography is allowed for a few sessions of about 5 minutes each. You may not approach the large taiko drum or direct dancers or singers to pose.
In case of rain, the venue, program, or schedule may change.
Nearby attractions
Nearby spots reachable by car from the Kemanai venue, listed in the official access information, include the Oyu Stone Circles, Korakukan, Lake Towada, Mount Hachimantai, and the Oyu Onsen area.
Estimated travel times are about 10 minutes to the Oyu Stone Circles, about 15 minutes to Korakukan, and about 10 minutes to the Oyu Onsen area.
It is about 50 minutes to Yasumiya on Lake Towada and about 1 hour 15 minutes to the summit of Mount Hachimantai, according to the information provided.
These are options for exploring the history and nature of the Kazuno area along with the festival.
大湯環状列石
秋田県鹿角市にある縄文時代の配石遺跡
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
鹿角市先人顕彰館
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 ·
鹿角市歴史民俗資料館
秋田県鹿角市にある博物館
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·Origins and History of Kazuno Bon dances
The origins of the Kemanai Bon Odori are unclear. However, the records of Sugae Masumi, compiled in the mid-Edo period, include an entry titled “Bon Odori Onozaka-bushi,” confirming that the dance was performed at least by that time.
The current program is thought to have developed when the Jinku Dance, which is more entertainment-oriented, was added to the Onozaka Dance, which is associated with honoring ancestors.
The dances were temporarily suspended from the Second Sino-Japanese War through World War II, but resumed after the war.
In 1998, they were designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan.
Official information
The dates, venue, and day's schedule can be checked in announcements from Kazuno City and on the official Kemanai Bon Odori website.
The official Kemanai Bon Odori website provided information on the times for each day in 2026, venue changes in case of rain, spectator seating, and photography permits.
Kemanai Bon Odori Preservation Society is listed as the preservation group.
Contact information is provided in the announcement from the Kemanai Kita no Bon Executive Committee.
Kazuno Bon dances at a Glance
The Kazuno Bon dances are local Obon events passed down around bonfires, combining a great drum, songs, and dancing.
At the Kemanai Bon Odori, the Onozaka Dance, Jinku Dance, and Kemanai Jonkara Dance are performed in that order.
In 2026, it was announced as scheduled from August 21 through the 23rd on Honcho Street in Towada Kemanai, Kazuno City.
It is also presented as a cultural tradition in which visitors can join the dance circle as well as watch.
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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