Join us on the weekend of July 13th & 14th for our Bon Odori, Obon/Hatsubon Service, and cemetery services.  Below are the events scheduled for Obon weekend:

Obon Cemetery Services - Saturday, July 13, 2024

• Odd Fellows Cemetery – 9:00 am

• Sacramento Memorial Lawn – 10:00 am

• East Lawn – 11:00 am

• Nokotsudo Service (service held in the Hondo, with Nokotsudo visitation following) – 12:00 pm

Bon Odori - Saturday, July 13, 2024

Location: Church parking lot and courtyard

Time: 7:30 pm to 9:15 pm (also live streamed on Facebook and YouTube).

Attention all odori enthusiasts, ministers, and dancers: let's gather in the Main Hondo by 7:15 pm for the traditional walk-out and procession with the first dance starting at 7:30! Skip cooking dinner at home and arrive early to savor some delectable food and beverages before the bon odori festivities commence.

What's on the agenda:

• Immerse yourself in the touching Obon Memorial Tribute video, broadcasted on monitors and live-streamed throughout the Odori. To submit a tribute, please see below.

• Indulge your taste buds at our Food Concessions, featuring favorites like teriyaki beef sandwiches, Gunther’s Freezes, and a delightful variety of other culinary delights, starting at 5:00 pm.

• Explore the Obon Store for exclusive offerings including the latest New Buddhist Church of Sacramento Happi Coat and Tenugui (towel for dancing), 125th Anniversary Merchandise, and a selection of new/gently used Obon apparel and dance gear, available for purchase starting at 5:00 pm.

• Cool off in the warm evening and refresh yourself with a cold beverage from our Onibi Beer selection, available from 5:00 pm until supplies last.

• Don't forget to save your viewing spots. Bring your favorite folding chair and claim your spot in the parking lot on Friday, July 12th from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.

Obon/Hatsubon Service – Sunday, July 14, 2024

• Hatsubon is the first Obon Service observed after a loved one has passed.  A combined Obon/Hatsubon service will be held in the Main Hondo at 9:30  am.

• The Obon/Hatsubon Service will also be live streamed on Facebook and YouTube.

For this year’s Obon, we are again offering the opportunity to honor and remember any loved one who has passed with a photo or name tribute during our Obon Dance on Saturday, July 13, 2024. Each submitted photo or name will be displayed periodically in alphabetical order on monitors in the Courtyard and parking lot, as well as our livestreamed broadcast on Facebook and YouTube.

For applications and instructions for submitting a photo or name, please use the this form.

The deadline for submitting applications and photos is Sunday, July 7, 2024. We look forward to seeing you on Obon weekend!

Obon Tribute

Need a refresher on our bon odori dances? Join us for practice in the evenings leading up to Bon Odori night. Learn our new dance being featured this year.

• Tuesday, July 2, 2024 – 7:00-8:00 pm

• Wednesday, July 3, 2024 – 7:00-8:00 pm

• Tuesday, July 9, 2024 – 7:00-8:00 pm

• Wednesday, July 10, 2024 – 7:00-8:00 pm

• Thursday, July 11, 2024 – 7:00-8:15 pm

Food Concessions and Obon Store on Practice Nights

• Food will be sold by our scouting organizations at each Obon practice from 6:00 pm.  Come for dinner before practice starts! There will be daily specials at each practice. Check out the daily menu.

• Pre-order Beef Teriyaki Sandwiches for Bon Odori night here. Deadline to submit your order is July 3.

• The Obon Store will offer new Buddhist Church of Sacramento Happi Coats and Tenugui (towels), 125th Anniversary merchandise, and new/gently used Obon apparel and dance gear from 6:00 pm on practice nights.  

Bon Odori Practice Schedule

The festival has been held since the 7th century although many of the events have changed and it is one of the most significant and enjoyable of the Japanese festivals. It goes by a variety of names, the most popular of which is “The Festival or Feast of the Dead”. While it is not a public holiday, many Japanese who work in the city visit their birthplace at this time every year to clean the gravesites of their ancestors. Others clean Buddhist altars in their home although fewer people have these. Many years ago, Obon and the holiday on January 15th were the only days servants and workers were released to return to their homes.

Vegetables, fruits and rice wine are left out for the spirits to eat. Flowers decorate the graves or altar and incense is burned. This is the time for the living to show their respect to their ancestors. But it is not just the spirits who are given food and drink!

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