Shiba Park Hotel announced on May 28 that it will invite overseas guests to experience and enjoy Japanese culture at a “bon-dancing” festival at Zojoji Temple on July 26 & 27, 2019.

(Photo: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/release/201905206542?p=images)

“Bon-dancing” is a Japanese traditional dance in which participants clad in yukata (summer kimono) and dance around a “yagura” tower. It was originally designed to calm ancestral spirits, but nowadays is enjoyed as a recreational event.

Hotel staff dressed in yukata will introduce the “bon” custom, and escort guests to participate in the Bon-dancing & Summer Festival at Zojoji Temple. Guests at Shiba Park Hotel are welcome to join the event without any fee. Yukata rentals are facilitated as a courtesy to guests at a nominal fee of JPY1,000 to be applied for in advance, limited to 4 guests per day, on a first-come, first-served basis.

Shiba Park Hotel General Manager Mitsuo Watanabe said:

“This is the fifth year in a row the event has been running. Each year we are privileged to welcome many guests from abroad who take part. This year, too, we hope to introduce even more people to the joys of summer in Japan.”

Japanese Culture Salon SAKURA Manager Yuka Inoue said:

“We would love the chance to show our guests Japan's traditional summer festival culture, and share in the enjoyment of the Bon Festival dance”

Shiba Park Hotel hopes that all guests will enjoy experiencing Japanese seasonal culture and customs and that their experience will last as an unforgettable memory of their visit to Tokyo.

About Shiba Park Hotel (Tokyo, Japan)

Shiba Park Hotel is a four-star city hotel established in 1948 as a hotel for foreign trade delegations. Since then, the legacy of the hotel has been to welcome hundreds of guests from overseas. Amenities include international restaurants, bars and Japanese Culture Salon SAKURA. Conveniently located in central Tokyo, the hotel is easily accessible to both international airports as well as to train/subway stations within walking distance, offering great connectivity to Tokyo’s major sightseeing spots and business districts.

Website: http://en.shibaparkhotel.com/