Choreographed dance has long been part of Bon festivals, which welcome ancestors' spirits back to the world of the living each summer, but organizers of some events this year are seeking to revitalize the traditional performance by adapting it for a contemporary setting.
A new guide on the history and manners of the Bon-odori, where men and women of all ages dance in circles around a makeshift platform, has recently been published, with the tradition having gained renewed relevance in the wake of major disasters.
With Japan expected to draw worldwide attention by hosting the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, some even suggest that Bon dances can be turned into a cultural export.