On Sunday, August 3, 2025, from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Kingston Point Beach will once again come alive with dance, music, remembrance, and activism as the city hosts the 15th Annual Bon-Odori Dance Day for Peace. The free event honors the victims of nuclear disasters on the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and marks other significant anniversaries, including the 15th year since the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear meltdown and the 39th since the Chernobyl disaster.

Founded in 2011 by Kingston residents Youko Yamamoto, a designer and chef, and Kazuma Oshita, a metal sculptor, Bon-Odori Dance Day for Peace brings together the community to support a global, multicultural effort toward a nuclear-free future. This year’s theme underscores the urgent need to reduce radioactive waste and heat pollution from nuclear power generation.

Should there be extreme heat or rain, the event will be held at the Andy Murphy Midtown Center at 467 Broadway, Kingston.

What is Bon-Odori?

The event is rooted in the Japanese summer tradition of Bon-odori, a folk dance held during Obon, when families honor the spirits of their ancestors. Communities across Japan gather to dance around a raised platform called a *yagura*, accompanied by live music and taiko drums. The dance is simple and inclusive, making it a joyful collective ritual of remembrance and connection.

2025 Program Highlights

This year’s program begins at the “Japan Stop” information booth and features a wide range of local performers, including:

  • The Vanaver Caravan
  • DrumSong Orchestra
  • Uptown Lodown
  • The Spirit of Thunderheart

Special guest speaker Tinya Seeger will share stories about her parents, Pete and Toshi Seeger. A memorial for Bill Vanaver, the late founder of the Vanaver Caravan, will follow.

Nuclear disarmament activists Dr. Diane Swords and Dr. Larry Wittner of Peace Action New York State and Back From The Brink will speak on ending the Nuclear Age. Additional performances include sumi ink brush art by Barbara Bash and Youko Yamamoto, an aikido demonstration by Kingston Aikido, and peace songs by Stephen Johnson with Nu Bossa** and Robert Albrecht with Free Range.

Family favorites like Suikawari (the Japanese game of busting a watermelon) will be back, along with Taiko drumming by Stuart Paton of Burlington Taiko and Bon-Odori dance led by Kevin Suzuki and Minbuza, the dance company of the Japanese Folk Dance Institute of New York.

Peace, Culture, and Sustainability

The venue will be divided into three areas—pavilion, grass field, and beach—featuring performances, workshops, and booths promoting sustainable practices, wellness, peace, and international culture. Vendors include the Climate Smart Tiffin Project, Mohonk Consultations, Jorei by Shumei, Peace Education Center, Veterans for Peace, Hudson Valley Peace Park, and others. A raffle will feature gift donations from local businesses such as Adams Fairacres Farms, Bluecashew, Tanma Ramen, and Rough Draft.

Closing Ceremony

The evening will close with a Heart Sutra chant led by **Youko Yamamoto** and **Yuzan Toyoda**, a Jodo-shinshu Buddhist monk, followed by a spiral walk for peace led by internationally renowned Buddhist nun **Jun-san Yasuda**, carrying the Flame of Hiroshima brought from Quebec.

A Call to Action

As the war in Ukraine continues and global nuclear tensions rise, the event calls on communities to take action. With nearly 10,000 nuclear warheads worldwide and 440 nuclear reactors generating radioactive waste and heat, organizers stress the urgent need to abolish nuclear weapons and transition to nonviolent, sustainable energy.

This year’s Bon-Odori Dance Day for Peace is made possible with the support of the City of Kingston and the Radio Kingston Community Tech Team.

For more information, visit: bonodori.org