CAMP ZAMA, Japan – U.S. Army Garrison Japan and the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force co-hosted the 66th annual Bon Odori Festival here Aug. 2, welcoming more than 17,000 visitors for an evening of traditional Japanese culture, music, food and fireworks.
The festival featured Bon dancing, games, live music, a variety of cuisine and a fireworks finale that lit up the night sky.
Col. Erik A. Davis, USAG Japan commander, said the festival is a great opportunity to bring together American military personnel and local Japanese community members in a celebration of cultural exchange.
Davis, who arrived at Camp Zama in July, said this was his first time celebrating Bon Odori and that he participated in four days of dance practice prior to the event.
“It’s amazing to see so many people out there dancing,” Davis said. “I think it’s a great exchange.”
Davis compared the event to Camp Zama’s most recent open-post celebration for Independence Day.
“The last open-post event, Camp Zama celebrated … the most American of American holidays, and we had a great turnout,” Davis said. “This time, the community has a chance to celebrate [the culture of the] Japanese, who are our hosts, our allies, and our partners.
Command Sgt. Maj. Marleen J. Watson-Rodriguez, assigned to the 765th Transportation (Terminal) Battalion, who is also new to Japan, said that despite being an introvert who initially hesitated to join in the dancing, she found the experience humbling and transformative.
Watson-Rodriguez said she was especially grateful to the Japanese dance instructors, who carefully guided American participants step by step to ensure their preparations were perfect, and danced with them from start to finish on the day of the event.
She developed a special bond with one of the instructors despite the language barrier. She said the time, passion, energy and friendship they shared made the cultural experience especially memorable.
“By far, this has been the most beautiful, eye-opening experience I have ever had in my life,” Watson-Rodriguez said.
Returning to the festival for the first time in 10 years, Keiko Arai expressed her gratitude to the Camp Zama community for “their unwavering enthusiasm and passion” for learning about traditional Japanese culture over the years.
The American participants seemed to have practiced all the different Bon dances in advance and mastered the moves. They showed up wearing their yukatas, or summer kimonos, even before the dance music began, Arai said.
“My friends and I had so much fun dancing with Americans,” she said. “I am truly impressed and delighted that the Bon Odori Festival, a traditional event at Camp Zama, has continued unchanged for many years.”
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