During the summer of 1932, Seattle's first Bon Odori festival was held by the Seattle Buddhist Church (Seattle Betsuin Buddhist Temple). Bon Odori is a traditional Japanese style of dancing performed during Obon, a Buddhist memorial service. The joyful dance celebrates selfless giving and expresses gratitude to departed family members and ancestors. Over the years, the annual open-to-all event has grown to include flower and craft exhibits, musical performances, food booths, demonstrations, and other activities. Bon Odori is officially part of Seafair, Seattle's ten-week-long summer festival of neighborhood and community celebrations.

This image shows three women singing at a microphone at the 1937 Bon Odori festival. They are identified, left to right, as Chizu Watanabe, Mishuje Shimohon, and Mike Sugino. Watanabe and Shimohon are wearing kimonos. Sugino is wearing a happi coat.

Caption information source: "Seattle Buddhist Church is dedicated on October 4, 1941," by Margaret Riddle, retrieved from https://www.historylink.org/File/10785.