Nishimonai Bon Odori Dance

The Nishimonai Bon Odori is held over three evenings in mid-August in the small Akita town of Nishimonai, and it has been practiced continuously for around 700 years. Dancers in distinctive hikosa-zukin hoods, which cover the upper face with cloth while leaving the eyes visible, or broad-brimmed kasa hats, move through the streets in long circles to the sound of taiko drums and flute. The costumes are layered and theatrical, and the slow, deliberate movements differ markedly from livelier summer festivals elsewhere. The adjacent exhibition center displays costumes and explains the dance's history and regional significance. The festival itself is the real destination; the museum is a complement to it.