As promised, I have finally gotten to post these pictures from the Bon Odori last month.  The stage is set in the center where the drummers perform.  Dancers go around in the stage in a circle that is partitioned off for them.  All are welcome to join the dancers.  Different dance groups from different areas come and perform and each group takes a turn on the stage.  Ladies from the base can also join to make a group and they practice often to learn the dances.  Also, the children on base can learn to taeko drum and perfom during the Bon Odori.

    

Isn't this little girl beautiful?  And what I find very funny, is that back in the states, we laugh over Japanese tourists taking pictures of us and everything around them.  I grew up near Niagara Falls, so this was an everyday occurence.  Over here, we're the tourists taking their pictures all the time.  However,  I will tell you that my daughters are often photographed by the Japanese people.