Fushu Daiko delivers a taiko drumming performance that brings the vibrant rhythm of Japan to life. [Photo by Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens]
The Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens is celebrating Obon Weekend on Aug. 10 and 11, when visitors can take reflective walks through the gardens, write messages on tanzaku slips (paper strips) to honor lost loved ones, attend taiko drumming performances and pay tribute to George Morikami at the Bon altar.
Obon, also known as the Bon Festival, is a Japanese Buddhist tradition dedicated to honoring ancestors’ spirits. During Obon, families welcome the spirits of dead relatives back to their homes.
Common practices include cleaning and decorating graves, lighting lanterns to guide the spirits, performing traditional Bon Odori dances, and making food offerings at home altars or temples. It is a time for gathering as a family, reflecting and paying respects to the dead.
Taiko Drumming
Witness a blend of tradition and modernity as Fushu Daiko delivers a taiko drumming performance that brings the vibrant rhythm of Japan to life.
Showtimes each day:
11:30 a.m. to noon
12:30 to 1 p.m.
2:30 to 3 p.m.
3:30 to 4 p.m. (Sunday only)
Cost:
$5 for members, $10 for nonmembers
Bon Dancing Workshop and Performance
Obon celebrations traditionally feature circle dancing to music. Learn one of Japan’s traditional Bon dances alongside the staff, members of the South Florida Japanese community and Fushu Daiko.
Times:
Saturday only
3:30 to 3:50 p.m., workshop to learn the dance
3:50 to 4:20 p.m., performance
Cost:
Free
More About Morikami
The Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens is a cultural and historical site in Delray Beach. It features expansive Japanese gardens, exhibits on Japanese art and culture, and cultural events and activities. The museum is named after George Morikami, a Japanese immigrant who donated the land to Palm Beach County with the vision of creating a park to preserve and promote Japanese culture and heritage. Morikami serves as a center for Japanese arts and culture in South Florida, offering a serene and educational experience.
