Introduction Serikomi Choroku is a traditional dance with a history of more than 650 years. It began as a nenbutsu Buddhist dance of the Jōdo Shinshū sect, and during the Edo period, its signature song “Nijūhachinichi Kudoki” was carried across Japan by the goze—blind female musicians from Echigo who traveled the country singing and playing shamisen and kokyū.

Every year during the Obon season, people gathered at temples and shrines, dancing through the night with hats and lanterns in hand as they prayed for their ancestors and for a prosperous harvest. The fan used in the dance symbolizes good fortune spreading outward, and the dancers’ elegant movements are said to resemble butterflies fluttering in paradise—giving rise to the name “Choroku.”

Today, the Serikomi Choroku Preservation Society continues this legacy under the mission of “Preserve, Foster, Promote, and Share.” We are dedicated to passing down this historic dance, training new performers, and presenting Serikomi Choroku both within Japan and abroad as a proud traditional performing art of Uozu City. We also provide instruction to groups participating in the Serikomi Choroku Machinagashi parade at the “Jantokoi Uozu Festival,” held every August—an unforgettable summer celebration where visitors can experience the spirit and rhythm of this centuries‑old tradition.