ST020 Nonoichi Jonkara Dance

Snow Treasure

Painting size: 16cm x 23cm

Framing size: 31.5cm x 40.5cm

The Nonoichi Jonkara Dance is a traditional Bon dance that has been passed down for generations.

Its origins can be traced back to the mid-Heian period.

It is said that the dance originated when the people began dancing to commemorate the virtues of Togashi Tadayori, who served as the governor of Kaga Province and implemented good governance.

They dance to a lively rhythm accompanied by shamisen, drums, and flutes.

With the intention of drawing that picture, I watched the "Jonkara Dance" practice video, which Nonoichi City has posted on its official YouTube channel, over and over again.

The posters for the Nonoichi Jonkara Festival, held every year from the end of July to the beginning of August, invariably feature a dancer raising their hands and looking up at the sky, but it never really resonated with me.

I felt there must be other poses that better convey the movements of the dance.

So, the pose I finally chose was this one, right before I start dancing.

The dancer visualizes the flow of the dance while remaining still.