Photo By Seaman Brianna Bonilla | Naval Air Facility (NAF) Atsugi, Japan - This graphic uses photos from previous Bon...... read more read more
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Kanagawa, Japan (August 1, 2025) – Naval Air Facility (NAF) Atsugi is preparing to host its annual Bon Odori Festival on September 6th, 2025, marking the 64th event of its kind to be held onboard the installation.
Bon Odori, the traditional Japanese summer dance festival held during Obon season, has a long and rich history in Japan. Bon Odori, celebrated throughout communities with music, dancing, and food, dates back approximately 500 years.
For NAF Atsugi, the tradition dates back to 1959 when the base hosted its first Bon Odori event.
“We host Bon Odori every single year because it is a great way to interact and show our appreciation for the community through cultural exchange,” said Capt. Nicolas Leclerc, the commanding officer of NAF Atsugi. “The event [Bon Odori] has become a cherished tradition and we look forward to hosting more in the years to come.”
Since the first Bon Odori event in 1959, NAF Atsugi has held one every year since with the exception of 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
NAF Atsugi’s Bon Odori is a unique event, incorporating both Japanese and American culture into the festival. Over the years the event has featured various forms of American entertainment including jazz and swing bands, movies, baseball games, and trampoline demonstrations. While some of the American entertainment has changed over the last six decades, the traditional entertainment of fireworks, Taiko drums, Awa dance, and Bon dance have remained a constant theme.
Bon Odori has built ties between the base and local communities through dancing and cultural exchange. Throughout the event’s history, dancers from both the base and the local community have participated together.
Speaking on behalf of the Ayase city government, Kunihiko Nakajima, director of the Base Affairs Administration Division for the city of Ayase, commented on the cultural importance of dancing together:
“Dancing Bon Odori together, as part of Japanese culture, allows for communication even when we don’t share a common language.”
The tradition of dancing together dates back to the beginning of the event. Capt. William C. Bryan, station commander of the base in the early 1960s, encouraged Sailors and their families to participate in the tradition in a news article prior to the 1962 Bon Odori:
“Meet your Japanese and American friends and neighbors and learn the beautiful Japanese Obon dance.”
Local city officials have been invited to participate in the festivities since the early years of the event, with records of the Yamato and Ebina mayors giving welcoming speeches as early as the 1964 Bon Odori.
“NAF Atsugi’s Bon Odori Festival is a lively event that draws many visitors every year,” said Tsutomu Koyata, the current mayor of Yamato City, “I hope to continue actively building face-to-face relationships through opportunities like this [Bon Odori] in order to deepen mutual understanding.”
As NAF Atsugi prepares for its 64th Bon Odori, the festival continues to stand as a symbol of enduring friendship and cultural appreciation between the U.S. Navy and the local Japanese community. Through shared traditions, music, and dance, the event offers a chance not only to celebrate, but to honor more than six decades of unity, respect, and partnership.
NAF Atsugi welcomes everyone to join the upcoming festivities on September 6th and celebrate this lasting tradition together.
NAF Atsugi supports the combat readiness of Commander, Fleet Air Western Pacific, Commander, Carrier Air Wing FIVE (CVW) 5, Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 51 and 23 other tenant commands, and provides logistic support, coordination, and services to units assigned to the Western Pacific.
[NAF Atsugi Public Affairs Staff contributed to this article by providing translation assistance and communicating with local city officials on behalf of the author]
| Date Taken: | 08.01.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.31.2025 21:56 |
| Story ID: | 544466 |
| Location: | KANAGAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 53 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, NAF Atsugi’s Bon Odori – Six Decades of Tradition, by Taylor Ardito, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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