Click to download the 2008 Bon Dance Schedule for Oahu, Hawaii. (PDF format ~ requires Adobe Acrobat)

2008.06.07, Champuru vlog #30 - Hawaii’s Plantation Village bon dance - The first bon dance of 2008, held at the historic Hawaii’s Plantation Village in Waipahu, Hawaii. (RT: 5 min 24 sec) Click to read the blog entry with photos.

Bon Dance season is over for 2007 and we’re already looking forward to next year! Here’s a recap of the bon dances that we attended this year. Fond memories!

If you’ve been a champuru friend for any length of time, you know that I look forward to the summer months, because that means that obon season is here! I’ve written a lot about the bon dances we’ve attended and taken more than my fair share of photos, just so you can vicariously experience the enjoyment that participating in this time honored tradition brings me. I’ll be doing more of the same this year, but if you’d like to see our bon dance escapades from previous years, I have a ton of photos to share:

Bon Dance Photo Galleries
Obon 2007
Obon 2006
Obon 2005
Mililani Hongwanji Obon, 2004
Mililani Hongwanji Obon, 2003
Haleiwa Jodo Mission, Toro Nagashi Lantern Floating Ceremony 2003

Going to the Rissho Kosei Kai or Mililani Hongwanji Bon Dance?
Brush up on your Okinawan bon dances with these practice videos. (Taken at the Rissho Kosei Kai bon dance practice on 07.08.2007.)
Asadoya Yunta (RT: 3 min 11 sec)
Ashimiji Bushi (RT: 45 sec)
Ichubigwa (RT: 2 min 39 sec)
Jintubido (RT: 3 min 37 sec)
Shichigwachi Eisa (RT: 3 min 7 sec)
Suriagari (RT: 3 min 13 sec)
Tenyo (RT: 2 min 57 sec)

Champuru bon dance videologs
Experience bon dances vicariously through the champuru vlogs: bon dance editions. For a complete list of champuru vlogs, go to the Champuru Videos section.

2007.09.15, Champuru vlog #22 - Bon Dance Edition: Autumn Matsuri - Held at the Hawaii Okinawa Center in Waipio, Hawaii. The last bon dance of 2007. The summer is so fleeting! (RT: 7 min)

2007.08.17 and 08.18, Champuru vlog #20 - Bon Dance Edition: Mililani Hongwanji - Highlights from the Ukwanshin Kabudan and introducing the faces behind the “Dancing Fools.” Guest host: Mahealani. Special thanks to TheStuffGuy and Christina L. for lending their mad video skillz. (RT: 3 min 35 sec)

Full length versions of the following dances are also available from the Mililani Hongwanji bon dance:
Asadoya Yunta (RT: 4 min 20 sec)
Tenyo Bushi (RT: 3 min 57 sec)
Shichigwachi Eisa (RT: 3 min 21 sec)
Jintubido (RT: 4 min)

2007.08.11, Champuru vlog #19 - Bon Dance Edition: Pearl City Hongwanji - This was the first time we attended the Pearl City Hongwanji bon dance and we enjoyed it immensely, thus earning itself a spot on the champuru bon dance posse calendar for next year. And, a serendipitous meeting with some old friends made the night extra special! (RT: 2 min 58 sec)

2007.07.27, Champuru vlog #18 - Bon Dance Edition: Jikoen Hongwanji Mission - Inclement weather prevented me from getting more footage, but at least I was able to film a little bit of the Young Okinawans of Hawaii (YOH) shisa. (RT: 1 min 27 sec)

2007.07.21-22, Champuru vlog #17 - Bon Dance Edition: Rissho Kosei Kai Hawaii - Rissho Kosei Kai is definitely one of my favorite bon dances of the season — and not just because our music/dance group (Ukwanshin) takes the lead on the Okinawan numbers! They also have the best selection of food of any other bon dance I’ve attended — bar none. Check out the vlog and see why the champuru bon dance posse looks forward to RKK each year. (RT: 3 min 32 sec)

2007.07.14, Champuru vlog #16 - Bon Dance Edition: Waipahu Hongwanji - More bon dance vlog goodness. To change things up, there’s more dialog, less dancing footage and a bit about teru teru bozu. (RT: 3 min)

2007.07.07, Champuru vlog #15 - Bon Dance Edition: Moiliili Hongwanji - Bon dance vlogs continued. This week: Moiliili Hongwanji. (RT: 1 min 25 sec)

2007.06.30, Champuru vlog #13 - Bon Dance Edition: Honpa Hongwanji - Vlog #13 captures the sights and sounds of the Honpa Hongwanji bon dance. (RT: 2 min 05 sec)

2007.06.23, Champuru vlog #12 - Bon Dance Edition: Wahiawa Hongwanji, vlog #12 - Vlog #12 takes us to the Wahiawa Hongwanji Bon Dance. NOTE: For the sake of better quality, I am exporting the video at 15 fps (rather than 12 fps), so the file size is larger. Please bear with the slightly longer download time. Mahalo! (RT: 2 min 44 sec)

2007.06.02, Champuru vlog #11 - Bon Dance Edition: Waipahu Plantation Village, vlog #11 - The first bon dance of 2007 was held at Hawaii’s Plantation Village in Waipahu. Here are a few scenes from the event. Featuring guest host, Kamuela K. (RT: 2 min 40 sec)