A Resounding Obon Tradition
Reiko Iwanaga (gold obi/sash) at San Jose Obon festival (photo: Pear Urushima)
BY REIKO IWANAGA (HANAYAGI REIMICHI)
INTRODUCING EI JA NAI KA
I welcome this opportunity to share San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin’s connection to “Ei Ja Nai Ka” and, most especially, my personal reflection and appreciation to PJ and her dance creation. One of my small contributions to the climate of what is now San Jose Obon Odori was my request to Chidori Band to welcome San Jose Taiko to join us. With that approval, San Jose Taiko’s music joined our repertoire.
How significant for us that, in 2004, we asked PJ to introduce “Ei Ja Nai Ka” at our Obon. It was the first time her impactful creation became an Obon dance, available to the public to participate and not just remain a performance piece.
THE REST IS HISTORY
Thanks so much to PJ’s explanation of its origins and interpretations of its steps. It has become a national and international sensation, easily becoming the dance that everyone anticipates and performs. With its exciting music and call backs, “Ei Ja Nai Ka” easily broke through assumptions of who should dance and welcomed everyone to join in.
San Jose Obon dance rehearsal, San Jose, CA
From the yagura (scaffolding stage), I see happiness and electricity emanate when the dance is announced and that always brings a warm and satisfying feeling of knowing that the joy of Obon is resounding through everyone. Seeing this, I always feel a humble sense of gratitude that the Obon Odori, brought to the mainland U.S. almost 90 years ago by my father-in-law Rev. Yoshio Iwanaga, will continue and expand into the future.
Dancing with joy in gratitude remains with all who dance “Ei Ja Nai Ka”—hence, all contributing to the legacy of Rev. Iwanaga and, in some ways, with San Jose’s Obon Odori. How proud I am that we can claim we were the first to introduce “Ei Ja Nai Ka” to the public. Thank you so much, PJ, for enhancing and enriching the Obon Odori experience for everyone.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Reiko Iwanaga (Hanayagi Reimichi) is the head teacher and choreographer of San Jose Obon Odori.
