Costume
The costume of the dancer in Japanese dance often represents what the dancer is feeling and who he or she is.
Normal dress would be a kimono, with an obi wrapped around the waist to hold the costume together.
Happi are a more basic form of clothing for festival dances, and not considered formal wear.
The Japanese folk performing arts include ceremonies, plays, music, and dance and are performed by ordinary working people, such as farmers and fisherman. These various arats handed down from generation to generation came out of the daily lives of people in the local communities. They can be seen in many Japanese festivals and poplular events.
Among the Japanese people, dance is an integral part of their lives, whether as spectators or participants. Much of Japanese folk dance is based on the Shinto and Buddhist faiths. Japanese folk dances, where the central theme is wishing for something, are taken from the dances of Shinto. Folk dances focusing on the comforting of a dead spirit such as Nenbutsu Odori and Bon Odori embody ideas found in Buddhist dances.
People dance Bon Odori in the Bon Festival which is held every summer in every district in every city. Bon means welcoming ancestors’ souls and holding a memorial service for them. There is a Bon week in August every year and continues for about a week.