Crowd Gathers to Celebrate, Remember, Experience Bon Dance on BCA’s 125th Anniversary
FYI
To view Mark Shigenaga's photos, go to: bit.ly/AmericanBonDancing
See video feature on Nichi Bei Cafe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=es6obZwUo70&t=48s
Visit the American Bon Consortium Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/americanbonconsortium
Visit the BCA website page: “Obon: Gathering of Joy” for Bon Dance resources:
The Yerba Buena Gardens Festival (YBGF) presented “American Bon Dancing" in partnership with the American Bon Consortium and the BCA Music and Archive committees on Sept. 8 in San Francisco.
A lively crowd of approximately 250 people gathered to celebrate, remember and experience — or discover for the first time — the dynamic history and tradition of Bon dance in the continental United States on the occasion of BCA’s 125th anniversary.
BCA Bishop Rev. Marvin Harada said in his greeting that in many ways, the development of Bon dancing in the U.S. mainland reflected the history of BCA. With Japanese immigrants establishing temples and churches, Bon dance festivals were sure to follow.
A few blocks from Yerba Buena Gardens, two Nishi Hongwanji ministers presented the first public lecture on Shin Buddhism on Sept. 1, 1899. American Bon Dancing was planned in the spirit of past commemorative Bon dances, including the BCA’s 50th Jubilee in 1948, and BCA’s 75th Anniversary in 1974, both held at the San Francisco Civic Center Plaza.
Notably, Reiko Iwanaga (Hanayagi Reimichi), the Bon dance coordinator for this event, had danced at those commemorative occasions.
Dr. Wynn Kiyama, Bon dance scholar and curator, served as the emcee for the program and together with Iwanaga, collaborated with Bon dance artists spanning generations, including key innovators of this cultural expression.
Collectively, the featured artists are expanding and interacting with tradition, honoring and deepening its connection to Japanese dance traditions and roots in Buddhism.
Commenting on the growing popularity of Bon dance in modern society, Kiyama said: “As a Bon dance enthusiast, I can’t wait to see where Bon dancing will go next.”
As is the tradition in most BCA temple Obon festivals, the first and last dance was the soothing “Bon Odori Uta,” originally choreographed by Rev. Yoshio Iwanaga, intentionally simple and easy to learn for all, inviting all to join in and “just dance.” The two-hour festival featured a dozen dances with brief introductions led by Reiko Iwanaga; PJ Hirabayashi; Bonbu Stories; Nobuko Miyamoto’s collaborators, Carla Vega and Deborah Wong; and local Bon dance teachers. Support also came from many Bon dance teachers from afar, including Tyler Moriguchi from Seattle and Shirley Omori from San Diego.
San Jose Taiko performed “Golden Sky,” by Geoff Noone; “Obon, Obon, It’s Festival Day,” with dance instruction by Iwanaga and Lynne Yamaichi (Bando Misashizu/SJ Betsuin); and teamed up with PJ Hirabayashi, Roy Hirabayashi and Yumi Ishihashi for “Ei Ja Nai Ka.”
San Jose Taiko performers included Meg Suzuki Hudson, Yuzu Kubota, Mitchell Fukumoto, Stewart Kume and Kazu Shirai.
Bonbu Stories, an Asian American arts collaborative that includes Sydney Shiroyama, Miharu Okamura, Miko Shudo, Kendall Tani, Vicky Zhang and Emily Imazumi, presented “Lantern Song,” a new song and Bon dance commemorating the BCA 125th anniversary, commissioned by the BCA Music Committee with support by TaikoVentures.
The San Francisco-based Ensohza Japanese folk arts ensemble performed “Tokyo Ondo,” “Hokkai Bon no Uta,” and “Tanko Bushi,” with dance instruction by Bon dance teachers Diane Ono (Enmanji Buddhist Temple), Hitomi Silver (Buddhist Church of San Francisco (BCSF)) and Chiemi Silver (BCSF). Ensohza ensemble members are: Nina Sazevich (taiko), Takashi Sugimoto (vocalist), Jiro Hesse (shamisen), Karl Young (fue, shakuhachi), and guest artist Yukiyo Takashi Payne (vocalist).
Nobuko Miyamoto, originally scheduled to present “Kangie” (“Gathering of Joy”), a new Bon dance commissioned by the BCA Music Committee during the pandemic, as well as “Bam Butsu no Tsunagari” (“10,000 Things All Connected”), was unable to attend because of COVID-19. Fortunately, two of her frequent collaborators, Carla Vega (“Mottainai”) and Deborah Wong (editor of Miyamoto’s memoir, “Not Yo’ Butterfly: My Long Song of Relocation, Race, Love, and Revolution”) were available to lead those two dances, demonstrating the power of collaboration.
During transitions between acts, the public enjoyed additional opportunities to dance to popular numbers. Led by Iwanaga, Yamaichi, and Gail Sueki, “Shiawase Samba,” “Pokemon Ondo,” and “Sukiyaki” were danced to recorded music.
The Yerba Buena Gardens Festival Bon dance, along with a companion exhibit and workshops curated by Kiyama and Jane Suiei Naito at the National Japanese American Historical Society (NJAHS) Peace Gallery in San Francisco Japantown, was part of a commemorative series presented by the American Bon Consortium in partnership with the BCA Music and Archives committees, NJAHS, YBGF, and Contemporary Asian Theater Stage (CATS).
Funding support was provided by the Henri and Tomoye Takahashi Charitable Foundation, San Francisco Japantown Foundation, SF Grants for the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts and individual donors. Uchiwa fans were donated by BDK America.
The American Bon Consortium extends special thanks to: Kemi Nakabayashi and Chris Kubo of the BCA Music Committee; Terri Omori, BCA 125th Anniversary Committee; Jane Naito, (BCA Bay District); Cristina Ibarra and Marcelo Aviles, YBGF; Cary Matsumura (stage manager); Kevin Yoza (videography); Mark Shigenaga (photography); Amy Chan (graphic design); event volunteers: Jiro Yamamoto, Nanayo, Hitomi and Chiemi Silver, Megumi and Kenjo Hatta-Wong; Rosalyn Tonai, NJAHS team; Joanne Ho/CATS, and all the performers and volunteers who made the event possible.
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