Obon Festival at the Palo Alto Buddhist Temple

On a warm August evening on Louis Road, a circle of dancers forms on the temple grounds. Some wear summer kimono or happi coats. Others are in shorts and sneakers, copying the hand movements of the person in front of them. Drums and folk songs carry over the neighborhood fences. This is bon odori, the dance that closes the Obon festival at the Palo Alto Buddhist Temple. Everyone is welcome to step in.

Obon is the temple's largest event of the year. It is part religious observance, part community reunion and part food fair. This guide explains what Obon is, what the festival includes, the latest dates we could confirm and how to plan a visit. The temple says the festival is held on the first weekend of August. We could not confirm a 2026 schedule in published sources and 2027 details had not been posted on October 31, 2026, so check the temple's website in early summer.

What Obon is

Obon is a Japanese Buddhist tradition that honors ancestors and loved ones who have died. The Mountain View Voice described it in 2025 as more than 500 years old. In Japan it is a time when families return home, visit graves and remember the people who came before them. Japanese American Buddhist temples across California mark it each summer with festivals that mix a memorial service with food, music and dance.

The mood is joyful rather than somber. A co-chair of the Palo Alto festival, quoted in 2010, described Obon as a once-a-year festival that honors ancestors in a positive and festive way. In 2025 co-chair Don Tirsell told the Voice that the dancing is meant to honor ancestors. He added that the evening can be emotional for people who have lost parents or other loved ones in the past year. He also said the organizers want to use the spirit of Obon to bridge religious groups and cultures. Everyone is invited.

History of the temple and the festival

The Palo Alto Buddhist Temple has served the Japanese American community of the Midpeninsula for generations. The Mountain View Voice called the temple 110 years old in 2025. The same article said the congregation moved to its current Palo Alto site in the middle of the 20th century. The temple building is at 2751 Louis Road in south Palo Alto.

The festival itself has deep roots. A 2010 report on the Pluralism Project's news archive said the temple was holding its Obon festival for the 62nd time that year. Counting back, the first festival was held in the late 1940s, in the years after Japanese American families began returning from wartime incarceration. Our page on Palo Alto's Japanese American community and World War II tells that wider story. The temple's year-round programs today include a Dharma School and a summer program for children called Medaka no Gakko.

Latest confirmed dates and typical schedule

The two days have a different feel. In 2025 Saturday was the food and culture day, with homemade Japanese pastries, savory dishes such as miso salmon and teriyaki chicken, live taiko drumming, talks on the basics of Buddhism and bonsai. Sunday brought a demonstration by the Palo Alto Judo Club, music from the San Jose based Chidori Band and a service in the temple's main hall. The festival ended with bon odori.

Programs vary from year to year. Earlier festivals, as described in Japanese American press, have included minyo folk dance, koto and shakuhachi music, karate and kendo demonstrations, ikebana flower arranging, children's games, a silent auction and a book sale. The temple's own description lists food, baked goods, cultural experiences, crafts, a raffle and traditional Bon dancing.

Joining the bon odori

Bon odori is the heart of the evening. Dancers move in a slow circle, repeating short sequences of steps and hand gestures for each song. Newcomers simply join the circle and follow the dancers around them. The 2025 co-chair said people sometimes pull their relatives out of the stands for the last song.

• No experience needed. Each dance repeats, so you will have the pattern after a round or two.
• Wear comfortable shoes. The dancing happens on pavement and lasts a while.
• Dress as you like. Some dancers wear yukata or happi coats. Street clothes are fine.
• Be respectful. This is a religious observance as well as a party. Follow the lead of temple members during the service and dance.

Cost and what to bring

The 2025 press coverage did not mention an entry fee and the temple's own description does not list one. Food, baked goods, crafts and raffle tickets are sold to raise money for the temple, so bring cash and a card. Popular items can sell out by late afternoon on Saturday. A tote bag helps if you plan to take home pastries or plants.

August afternoons in Palo Alto are usually warm and dry, but evenings cool quickly. Bring water and sunscreen for the afternoon and a light layer for the dance after dark.

Parking and Caltrain access

The temple is on Louis Road, a residential street that runs through south Palo Alto near the Palo Verde neighborhood. Expect to park on nearby streets during the festival. Read signs carefully and leave room for residents.

No Caltrain station is within easy walking distance. California Avenue and San Antonio stations are each roughly two miles away, so the train works best combined with a bike, a rideshare or a long walk. See our guide to California Avenue station. Cycling is easy. Louis Road and the nearby streets are flat and the city's network of bike boulevards connects most of south Palo Alto. Bring a lock, since racks fill on Saturday afternoon.

What to do nearby

Mitchell Park on East Meadow Drive is a short drive or bike ride away, with the Magical Bridge Playground, shady lawns and the Mitchell Park Library. It is a good place to spend the morning before the festival opens. If you want more Japanese food after the weekend, our guide to Japanese food in Palo Alto lists ramen, sushi and izakaya spots.

For a deeper look at Japanese American history in the region, San Jose's Japantown is one of only three historic Japantowns left in the United States. Its temple also holds a summer Obon festival. Our San Jose day trip guide covers the neighborhood and the Japanese American Museum of San Jose.

Planning an August visit

The first weekend of August is a quieter time for Palo Alto hotels than June, since Stanford's commencement crowds are long gone. If you are coming from out of town, a hotel along El Camino Real in south Palo Alto or Mountain View puts you a short drive from Louis Road. You can compare hotels in south Palo Alto and choose a refundable rate until the temple confirms its dates. Our August guide covers the weather and other events that month.

Frequently asked questions