Oregon’s only Obon Festival is a memorial and celebration of local heritage. This year it’s on Saturday August 5 at the Oregon Buddhist Temple, 3720 SE 34th Ave. from 3 pm to 9 pm.
Attendees will find Japanese street foods, gifts and crafts, colorful Japanese dress (yukatas and hapi coats), music by Portland Taiko and Bon Odori Dance – to watch and join in until the sun goes down.
The festival’s community folk dances have drawn people from different backgrounds and ages. This year, participants have opportunities to help understand the cultural significance of this event at a companion exhibit called American Obon at the Nikkei Legacy Center, 121 NW 2nd Ave. The exhibit is open now and exploring the roots of Obon, obon dancing, and the legacy of Reverend Yoshio Iwanaga through photographs and information.
Oregon Buddhist Temple has hosted Obon for over 60 years. The festivals are held during summers in Japan as well as in Japanese heritage communities throughout the world.
See pdx-obon.com for more details.
