Guide
The Bitchu Takahashi Matsuyama Odori is the largest Bon Odori festival in Okayama Prefecture, held over three days from August 14th to 16th in Takahashi City. This deeply rooted cultural event preserves traditional dances that have been passed down since the Edo period. During the festival, the area around Bitchu-Takahashi Station becomes a center of intense energy, drawing approximately 100,000 visitors. The festival features three distinct styles: Ji-odori, Shikumiodori, and Yatosa, each possessing its own unique history and rhythm.
The origins of this dance date back to 1648. It is said that the local lords of the Bitchu Matsuyama domain initiated the tradition to pray for bountiful harvests and the prosperity of the merchant class. Historically, there was a clear distinction between the