2026 Seattle Bon Odori Festival | July 18-19

Dance Practices | Schedule | FAQ

Bon Odori is a centuries-old Japanese Buddhist festival dedicated to remembering and honoring the lives of deceased family and friends. This is viewed as a joyful occasion, providing an opportunity to reflect on the contributions of those who came before us with gratitude and thanksgiving.

Festival highlights include folk dancing in the street, delicious food, beer garden featuring live music, and cultural displays. All are welcome to join in the dancing and festivities.

Check back here for additional details and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @SeattleBonOdori!

Upcoming Events

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Bon Odori is almost here and we canโ€™t wait! Join us on July 18th and 19th for a day full of Japanese-folk dancing, street eats, and live music! What dance are you looking forward to most this year? โœจโœจโœจโœจโœจ ๐Ÿฎ๐Ÿฎ๐Ÿฎ Come join us at the 10th annual @japanfairus at the Meydenbauer Center this weekend! Catch a performance from @nwminyokai, get a sneak peek for Bon Odori dances, and early access to our 2026 merchandise! ๐Ÿฎ๐Ÿฎ๐Ÿฎ

Scenes from 2025 Bon Odori

Schedule

Full schedule coming soon

Saturday, July 18

3:00 PMEvent Open – Food booths open, Happy Hour in Beer Garden
4:00 PMBon Odori Service -(Hondo)
4:30 PMDancing Begins (Street)
6:30 PMMatsuri Taiko Performance (Street)

Two Story Zori
(Beer Garden)
9:00 PMEvent Close – Food booths close, dancing ends
10:00 PMBeer Garden closes

Sunday, July 19

3:00 PMEvent Open – Food booths open, Happy Hour in Beer Garden
3:10 PMMatsuri Taiko hands-on demonstration with audience participation (Street)
3:30 PMBon Odori Service -(Hondo)
4:00 PMDancing Begins (Street)
4:30 PMTwo Story Zori
(Beer Garden)
6:00 PMMatsuri Taiko Performance (Street)
9:00 PMEvent Close – Food booths close, dancing ends

Dance Practices

We encourage all to join in dancing! If you want to brush up on the dances ahead of time, we offer several dance practices, held in the Temple Gym from 7:30-9:00 PM. 2026 Bon Odori merchandise will also be available for sale at dance practices!

2026 Dance practice dates: July 7-9, 13-14
Seattle Betsuin Gymnasium (1427 S. Main Street.)
Doors open at 7:20 PM

Check out last year’s dance practice:

FAQ

The event takes place on Saturday, July 18, from 3:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Festivities continue on Sunday, July 19, from 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

The festival is hosted at the Seattle Betsuin Buddhist Temple. The address is 1427 S Main Street, Seattle, WA 98144

All are welcome to join in the dancing and festivities. However, the event features a cashless payment system, and credit card readers will be used for purchasing food, drinks, and merchandise.

Yes! All are welcome to join in the dancing and festivities. For those wanting to learn the dances beforehand, practice sessions will be held in the Seattle Betsuin Gymnasium from 7:30-9:-00pm on July 7, 8, 9, 13, and 14.

We offer a wide variety of Japanese festival food including Yaki onigiri (grilled rice ball with Teriyaki sauce), Niku Don (beef bowl), Kori (shaved ice), Teriyaki chicken, hamburgers, hotdogs, and more!

For those 21 & over, we have a Beer Garden serving draft beer, sake, seltzers and wine. Two Story Zori will be playing both evenings!

We highly encourage carpooling, or public transportation!

๐Ÿš‡ By Light Rail (Link Light Rail)

  • Lines: Both the 1 Line (Lynnwood to Federal Way) and the newly opened cross-lake 2 Line (Lynnwood to Downtown Redmond via Bellevue/Mercer Island) serve the temple’s closest station.

  • Closest Station: Get off at the International District / Chinatown Station.

  • Directions to the Gym: Once you exit the station, head to street level at S. Jackson St. Walk east up S. Jackson St. for 4 blocks, then turn left on 14th Ave S. Walk 2 blocks North to reach the corner of S. Main St. and the gym entrance. (Alternatively, you can catch the First Hill Streetcar directly outside the light rail station and ride it for 2 stops).

๐Ÿš‹ By Streetcar (First Hill Line)

  • Closest Stop: 14th Ave S & S Washington St

  • Directions to the Gym: Once you exit the streetcar at 14th & Washington, simply walk North for 1 block along 14th Ave S. The gymnasium will be right at the corner of 14th Ave S & S Main St.

๐ŸšŒ By Bus (King County Metro) There are several major bus routes that drop you off just one block away from the Temple along S Jackson St:

  • Route 14, Route 7, Route 36, and Route 106 all frequently travel along S Jackson St.

  • Closest Stops: Get off at the S Jackson St & 12th Ave S stop or the S Jackson St & 14th Ave S stop (depending on your route).

  • Directions to the Gym: From S Jackson St, walk North for 1 block on 14th Ave S to reach the corner of S Main St and the gym entrance.

๐Ÿš— By Car (Parking)

  • Temple Parking Lot: There is very limited paid parking lot located at the corner of 16th Ave S. and S. Main St. Our friends at Seattle Koyasan Temple located across Wisteria Park also have a parking lot available for a fee.

No! We encourage everyone to come as they are, and join us in dancing. If you do feel like dressing up, many people wear Happi Coat, Kimono, or Yuakata.

Check out Bachan’s (Grandma) Closet Sale in the gym, to find vintage treasures, including Kimono and Yukata.

Here are some helpful YouTube videos on how to dress in Kimono or Yukata:

Pacific Northwest Bon Odori Festivals