Oakland Obon Festival Dancer

Oakland Obon Festival Dancer
Originally uploaded by Ame Otoko

Although I admit the Japanese Obon festival is not one of my favorites, it is one of my favorites to photograph. Why? There are many elements that come together that make it a great photo opportunity.

Obon, for those who are not familiar with Japanese tradition, is a festival which derived from a buddhist tradition of honoring the ancestors who have parted from this world. The spirits of these ancestors are said to return to visit the household altars which are prevalent through many Japanese homes. There is obviously a fine line between honoring your ancestors and worshiping them at an altar, and as a christian, it makes me a bit uncomfortable to even approach that line. Still, obon is largely a fun and celebratory festival, like a giant family reunion for many people. Although most obon festivals are held at buddhist temples, much of the religious connotations of the event have long been removed.

I think what makes obon such a great photo opportunity is the fact that many people who participate in obon come dressed for the part, in their colorful summer yukatas (a lighter form of the traditional kimono), and fancy fans. If you attend the spring Cherry Blossom festival in most cities, only a small fraction of attendees dress in traditional clothing.

The dance is the other obvious attraction. Obon dance is basically a giant line dance that circles around a center stage and pit of musicians. Photographing the dancers is as easy as sitting at a sushi boat restaurant; stand in once place long enough and the photo opportunities come to you.

Lastly, obon starts at dusk, which makes it somewhat challenging to shoot but with the effect of having dusk or golden hour lighting to work with. In Oakland, we had to deal with overcast skies and an unseasonably cold evening, so it wasn’t as great as other festivals I have attended. Still, the lights of the festival and the city behind made a great backdrop for the dancers as they passed by.