Ino’s Bon Odori, preserving prayers against epidemics and traditional kuchidoki chants
Ino Bon Odori
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Every year on August 15 / Every year
- Location
- Mishima Shrine
- Area
- Yamaguchi Prefecture・Ube City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 35 min–1 h 55 min · flight time only)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
- Last updated
- 2026/11/14
Ino is a Bon dance performed as an offering by local residents at Mishima Shrine in Inocho, Ube City. It preserves dance forms passed down since the late Edo period, as well as traditional kuchidoki chants.
About Ino Bon Odori
Ino Bon Odori is a Bon dance performed as an offering by local residents at Mishima Shrine in Inocho, Ube City, Yamaguchi Prefecture.
It is said to be a dance that was learned and passed down from Isaki in Shimonoseki, then offered to quell an epidemic that spread through the Ino area in the late Edo period.
It preserves old dance forms and traditional kuchidoki chants, and has been designated a municipal intangible folk cultural property.
Festival highlights
What makes this Bon Odori special is not only the festive spirit shared by Bon Odori celebrations across Japan, but also the preservation of Ino Bon Odori’s distinctive old dance forms and kuchidoki chants.
The dance movements and the storytelling elements of traditional kuchidoki chants are passed down together.
This tradition has been recognized and designated a municipal intangible folk cultural property.
Ino’s Bon Odori, preserving prayers against epidemics and traditional kuchidoki chants
What to expect
Local residents offer dances passed down through the community to Mishima Shrine.
Ino Bon Odori preserves old dance forms and traditional kuchidoki chants.
It is currently listed as being performed as an offering every year on August 15, providing a place for the community to pass Bon Odori on as part of its culture.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Mishima Shrine, 2-chome, Inocho, Ube City
Address 2-chome, Inocho, Ube City
Dates and season
- Season
Every year on August 15
- Frequency
Every year
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 Yamaguchi Prefecture / Ube City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
ときわ公園
山口県宇部市にある公園
写真：Original uploader was Historian at en.wikipedia / CC BY 2.5
Photo source ·
宇部市石炭記念館
山口県宇部市のときわ公園にある博物館
緑と花と彫刻の博物館
山口県宇部市の博物館
逍雲堂美術館
山口県の博物館・美術館のスポットです。
Origins and History of Ino Bon Odori
Ino Bon Odori is said to be a dance learned and passed down from Isaki in Shimonoseki, then offered at Mishima Shrine to quell an epidemic that spread through the Ino area in the late Edo period.
Local residents have continued to offer the dance, and it is now performed every year on August 15.
On April 22 in Heisei 16 (2004), it was designated a municipal intangible folk cultural property.
Official information
Ube City Official Website, “Ino Bon Odori”
Ino Bon Odori at a Glance
Ino Bon Odori is a Bon dance performed as an offering by local residents at Mishima Shrine in Inocho, Ube City.
It is said to have originated with a dance brought from Isaki in Shimonoseki in the late Edo period to quell an epidemic. Old dance forms and traditional kuchidoki chants have been preserved.
It is a municipal intangible folk cultural property and is offered every year on August 15.
Sources and references
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/11/14
