Tamba-Sasayama Dekansho Festival

Each summer on August 15 and 16, Sannomaru Square near the Sasayama Castle site becomes a gathering place for dancers, who come together to perform a traditional folk dance. Bon Odori dances are a widespread summer tradition in Japan to honor the spirits of ancestors. Many regions have distinct folk songs accompanying these dances. In Tamba Sasayama City in Hyogo Prefecture, the dance is accompanied by “Dekansho Bushi,” a regional folk song that has become popular across the country.