2024 Annual Sacramento Obon Odori Festival Event (Bon Odori Dancing, Japanese Food..) Sacramento Buddhist Church (Saturday)NEW

Join us for the Bon Odori dance festivities starting with the procession of ministers, odori instructors, and dancers from the Hondo to the parking lot at 7:15 PM. The first dance kicks off at 7:30 PM. Our Obon Memorial Tribute video will be played on TV monitors in the courtyard and live-streamed throughout the Bon Odori. To include your loved one in the Obon Tribute video, please complete this form before July 7th.

Food and merchandise concessions will open at 5:00 PM, so arrive early to enjoy dinner before dancing. Savor delicious teriyaki beef sandwiches, Gunther’s freezes, and a variety of other tasty treats. Onibi Beer is back this year and will be available starting at 5:00 PM until supplies last.

The Obon store will also be open, offering a range of Obon gear. Don't miss our new Happi Coat and Tenugui (towels) to commemorate our 125th anniversary.

Bon Obon Odori 
July 13, 2024, Saturday 

Event Festival Time
5:00 pm: Food & Concessions 
7:15 pm - 9:15 pm: Bon Odori Festival

(Also live streamed on Facebook and YouTube)


Food and Merchandise Concessions Opens at 5:00 pm
Start the festivities early! No need to cook before bon odori!

Food and merchandise concessions will open at 5:00 PM, so arrive early to enjoy dinner before dancing. Savor delicious teriyaki beef sandwiches, Gunther’s freezes, and a variety of other tasty treats. Onibi Beer is back this year and will be available starting at 5:00 PM until supplies last.

The Obon store will also be open, offering a range of Obon gear. Don't miss our new Happi Coat and Tenugui (towels) to commemorate our 125th anniversary.

Location
Church parking lot and courtyard

What's on the agenda

• Immerse yourself in the touching Obon Memorial Tribute video, broadcasted on monitors and live-streamed throughout the Odori. To submit a tribute, please see below.
• Indulge your taste buds at our Food Concessions, featuring favorites like teriyaki beef sandwiches, Gunther’s Freezes, and a delightful variety of other culinary delights, starting at 5:00 pm.
• Explore the Obon Store for exclusive offerings including the latest New Buddhist Church of Sacramento Happi Coat and Tenugui (towel for dancing), 125th Anniversary Merchandise, and a selection of new/gently used Obon apparel and dance gear, available for purchase starting at 5:00 pm.
• Cool off in the warm evening and refresh yourself with a cold beverage from our Onibi Beer selection, available from 5:00 pm until supplies last.
• Don't forget to save your viewing spots. Bring your favorite folding chair and claim your spot in the parking lot on Friday, July 12th from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.

Obon Service - Sunday July 14, 2024
Hatsubon is the first Obon Service after a loved one has passed. A combined Obon/Hatsubon service will be held in the Main Hondo at 9:30 am with special guest speaker, Reverend Bob Oshita, Rinban Emeritus.

The Obon/Hatsubon Service will also be live streamed on Facebook and YouTube.

Special Obon Tribute to Honor Loved Ones
We are offering the opportunity to honor and remember any loved one who has passed with a photo or name tribute. Each submitted photo or name will be displayed periodically on monitors in the Courtyard during Obon Odori, as well as online in the streamed virtual program.

Tribute Link

Background on Matsuri, Obon
The word 'Matsuri' or 'Festival' event literally means worshipping gods or ancestral spirits. Festivals were usually annual events to bless the cultivation of rice and the health of the community. In order to enliven the celebrations, there were performances of traditional dances and musical instruments.

Obon is a Japanese Buddhist festival usually held in mid-July or August for a week and is a time when the souls of dead ancestors are supposed to return home for three days. In particular, prayers are said for anyone who has died in the previous year as it is believed that they need more guidance to find their way. The festival has been held since the 7th century although many of the events have changed and it is one of the most significant and enjoyable of the Japanese festivals. It goes by a variety of names, the most popular of which is "The Festival or Feast of the Dead".

While it is not a public holiday, many Japanese who work in the city visit their birthplace at this time every year to clean the gravesites of their ancestors. Others clean Buddhist altars in their home although fewer people have these. Many years ago, Obon and the holiday on January 15th were the only days servants and workers were released to return to their homes.

Vegetables, fruits and rice wine are left out for the spirits to eat. Flowers decorate the graves or altar and incense is burned. This is the time for the living to show their respect to their ancestors. But it is not just the spirits who are given food and drink!

Festival Parking
Parking available at city lot underneath Highway 50 at 8th and X Street for a flat rate. Courtesy shuttle available or short 10 minute walk.

Sacramento Buddhist Church 2 Major Events
Annual Obon Festival and Annual Bazaar

1) Annual Obon Bon Odori Festival Event in July - Separate from the Bazaar

July 13, 2024: Saturday at 5:00 Food & Concessions; Bon Odori Dancing at 7:30 pm
July 14, 2024: Sunday at 9:30 am: Obon/Hatsubon Service

2) Sacramento Japanese Cultural Bazaar 

August 10, 2024: 78th Annual Bazaar Event



Sacramento Obon, Bazaar & Practices 

Bon Odori Practice Schedule
Need a refresher on our bon odori dances? Join us for practice in the evenings leading up to Bon Odori night. Learn our new dance being featured this year.
• Tue,  July 02, 2024: 7:00-8:00 pm
• Wed, July 03, 2024: 7:00-8:00 pm
• Tue,  July 09, 2024: 7:00-8:00 pm
• Wed, July 10, 2024: 7:00-8:00 pm

• Thu,  July 11, 2024: 7:00-8:15 pm

Obon Bon Odori Festival Event Location
Buddhist Church of Sacramento Obon Odori Festival, 2401 Riverside Blvd., Sacramento, CA 9581

Obon Bon Odori Event Title
Annual Bon Odori Dance (Saturday) Buddhist Church of Sacramento (Note: 2-Day Annual Cultural & Food Bazaar is in August)

#SacramentoObonFestival #ObonOdori #BuddhistChurchSacramento #taiko #BonOdori