Around this time of the year many regions in Japan are celebrating Obon (お盆). Obon is a time when the spirits of the dead are honored. All over Japan people celebrate Obon by performing special dances to particular songs. The songs are often traditional Japanese folk songs that vary from region to region. One of the more recognizable Japanese folk songs is the Sōran Bushi (ソーラン節). It’s a song that hails from the region of Hokkaido (北海道). Here is a video of a choreographed dance to this song:

The Goshu Ondo (江州音頭) is another song that accompanies a traditional Japanese dance. It’s a song that was originally from Shiga Prefecture (滋賀県). Although the lyrics to the song changes from place to place and event to event, what stays the same is the fact that the chorus is usually sung by the audience or backup singers. Here is a video showing a dance to the tune of a Goshu Ondo.

The Kawachi Ondo (河内音頭) Kawachi Ondo (河内音頭) can be traced to Osaka Prefecture (大阪府). It’s a traditional Japanese song where the lyrics are often improvised to describe current events, fairy tales, and historical events. Here is a video of people dancing to this song:

Probably one of the more well known dances of Obon is the Awa Odori (阿波踊り) in Tokushima Prefecture (徳島県). If you ever go to Japan around this time of year, you’ll see ladies wearing these special straw hats that have a pointy tip. It’s a lively festival that welcomes the spirits of the deceased back to earth for a few days out of the year:

As its name suggests, the Tokyo Ondo (東京頭) is a traditional folk song that is from the Tokyo region. Like in many of the dances of the Obon, people often wear a yukata (浴衣), which is a type of kimono that is worn in the summer for casual occasions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTu-ab1oQ0I

The Gujo Odori (郡上踊り) is a dance that derives its name from Gujo City (郡上市). The people of this city are known to revel all night dancing to traditional Japanese folk songs. As a result, the city is brightly lit well into the night.