Gujo Dance Festival Featured in Tokyo Olympics Closing Ceremony

Thanks to the support and cooperation of people all around the world, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics have come to a close. During the closing ceremony on August 8 there was a video that introduced Japanese culture through famous bon dance styles all across Japan. The Gujo Dance Festival, held in Gujo Hachiman of Gifu Prefecture, was one of these featured dance styles and has gathered the interest of people all over the world.

The Gujo Dance is considered to be one of Japan’s Three Great Bon Dances.

The Gujo Dance Festival has an extra-long season, held annually across 30 nights from mid-July to early September, and is particularly famous for the 4-day period in August when the dancing goes all night long! Everyone is invited to join in the dancing which makes the festival so fun.

While this year’s festival is being held online, a normal festival season sees over 300,000 people gathering in the scenic streets of Gujo Hachiman in order to participate in the dancing!

Gifu Prefecture is a treasure trove of traditional Japanese culture and traditions: in addition to the Gujo Dance there is blademaking, papermaking, ceramics, and woodcrafting. These treasures have been carefully handed down from ancestors long ago and still remain closely connected to the daily lives of local residents today. These cultures and traditions, along with the rivers, forests, and mountains that help make up the grand outdoors here in Gifu, have stood the test of time and allow visitors to experience a side of Japan that can’t be found in the cities.

A trip to timeless Japan will naturally be an adventure.