Top > After Convention > Dance | Top | South | East | North | West | Dance | Craft | ♦ The Goshu-Ondo   The Goshu-Ondo, a very traditional and unique local dancing song that has its origin in Shintoist festive recitation of the Heian or Nara Period (8-12th century), is said to have been perfected around the beginning of the Meiji Era. At the end of the Edo Period (17-19C), a reciter called Torakichi Nishizawa was very popular among people. As a pupil under the great religious reciter, Hinazan Sakuragawa, he developed it further making it a form of entertainment. Since then the Goshu-Ondo is sung with people dancing to it. Ondo is a generic term for folk songs that are often used to accompany obon festival dances. During obon, it is said that the souls of ancestors return from the dead. Today the Goshu-Ondo is offered as a traditional dancing song on many occasions including typical obon events and as a sightseeing attraction in Shiga Prefecture. The lyrics often describe daily events and stories, but the prayer part is very important, too, and mainly includes a prayer for bumper crops. The story is full of people's basic feelings of delight, anger, sorrow and happiness. An enlarging circle dancing to a "Yatai-Ondo," or dancing song recited on a high wooden stage during obon events, strengthens the relationship among people, while a slow and careful recitation of "Zashiki-Ondo," or dancing song at drinking parties, deepens the rapport among people. In short, these are dancing songs filled with people's desire for a better life.> In addition to the Goshu-Ondo, we are proud to present other traditional local performing arts as well. We would like to introduce them according to your request. Contact: Secretariat of Goshu-Ondo Association, Commerce Industry and Tourism Policies Division, Shiga Prefectural Government. 4-1-1 Kyomachi, Otsu-shi, Shiga 520-8577 TEL.077-528-3741 FAX.077-528-4870 http://go-shu.motherlake.com/ Copyright (C) Biwako Visitors Bureau All rights reserved.