The Gujo Odori dance festival is one of the three most important traditional dance festivals in Japan and is designated a Significant Intangible Cultural Folk Asset by the Japanese government. The Aoyama Gujo Odori festival was held at the Baisoin Temple in Minami-Aoyama on June 27-28, 2009.
Endo Yoshitaka started the Gujo Odori festival in the Tokugawa Period over 400 years ago in an attempt to encourage all the town’s citizens to get together, regardless of social level or position. This spirit remains today as the heart and soul of this popular summer dance festival.
Participants wear the light cotton, traditional yukata and wooden geta sandals, but regular street or casual clothes are just as welcome.
There are ten Gujo Odori songs. Songs are danced in a specific order, however, not every song is danced every night.
Local specialties of the Gujo-Hachiman area were also on sale during the period.
[...] 14, 2009 by bartman905 After the Aoyama Gujo Odori, my wife and I walked to short distance to the Aoyama Fashion [...]