Tag Archives: Bon Odori

Community

Seattle Bon Odori Will Be Virtual Again This Year, but Still Beautifully Resilient

Leave a comment

by Sharon Ho Chang

Seattle’s 89th Bon Odori celebration will take place online again this year. This will be the second virtual celebration, last year’s being the first virtual Seattle Bon Odori ever. 

Though COVID restrictions were lifted in Washington at the end of June, Seattle Bon Odori needed to decide about this year’s program back in February, said Ron Hamakawa, chairperson of Seattle Bon Odori for the last 15 years. 

“There was still a lot of uncertainty about what the state would look like, what the county and city would look like in terms of fully reopening when we needed to make the decision of go or no-go, right? And so we chose the conservative path and said, ‘you know, we are really going to think about the community and not be a super-spreader event. We are going to keep the community safe,’” Hamakawa said.

Continue reading Seattle Bon Odori Will Be Virtual Again This Year, but Still Beautifully Resilient →
Community, Culture, Features, Immigration, South End Life

Seattle Betsuin Temple Celebrates 86th Annual Bon Odori Festival

2 Comments

by Carolyn Bick

Colorful ribbons of sticky syrup trailed down children’s chins as their spoonfuls of shaved ice rapidly melted beneath a warm sun. Nearby, teens helped one another dress in yukata, Japanese summer garments made of light cotton, and settled with their families under tents to enjoy the night’s festivities.

Continue reading Seattle Betsuin Temple Celebrates 86th Annual Bon Odori Festival →