This is a listing of Obon “Frequently Asked Questions” (FAQ). If there are questions that are not answered here, please ask on FaceBook at the San Jose Obon page.

  • “What are the hours?”
    • Saturday, July 11, 2026 : 12 pm to 9:30 pm
    • Sunday, July 12, 2026: 12 pm to 7 pm
  • “Are pets allowed?”
    • If you must bring your pet, we kindly ask that they all be kept on a leash and able to handle crowds/children etc. Aside from assistance/service animals, we ask that you not bring your pet into the food court. Thank you for your understanding. As always, please clean up after your pet.
  • “Where is the Festival?”
    • The San Jose Obon Festival is held at the San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin which is located at 640 N. 5th St, San Jose, CA between Taylor and Jackson Streets. [Google Maps Link]
  • “Parking in Japantown is really bad. Is there parking available?”
    • Yes, we strongly encourage visitors to take advantage of our free parking available at the county lot on 1st St and Hedding [Google Maps Link – Parking]. We provide an free air conditioned shuttle to the Obon Festival. It operates one hour before and after the Festival hours. It’s also a quick 20 minute walk to the San Jose Obon which is at 640 North 5th St. It’s also a quick 10 minutes walk from the Japantown/Ayer Light Rail station.
  • “Are outside vendors allowed? How do I apply?”
    • The Obon Festival is the major fundraiser for the San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin and all the funds goes to help run the programs at the Betsuin.
  • “Do you take credit cards at the booths?”
    • Almost all food booths do take credit cards including Apple Pay. Unfortunately, we no longer have the “ATM/Check Cashing” booth which can provide cash. Most games booths now take ticket which you can purchase at the game ticket machine with a credit card.
  • “Is there a map of the Festival?”
  • “How long has the Festival been going on?”
    • We don’t really know. We have a receipt for ice to cool “Obon soda” from the 1936. We also know that the Odori (dancing) occurred even in the 1900’s right after the temple was formed (1903). The current form of the festival started after the Japanese Americans returned from internment during World War II in 1945. It greatly expanded under the guidance of Mr. Jim McClure who was the Obon chair for over 20 years.
  • “Is there a live-stream of the Festival this year?“, “I am not able to make it to Obon but I don’t want to miss out.”
    • No. Due to the construction of the Dharma Center building, the livestream studio booth will have to be somewhere on Jackson or 5th Streets. This booth requires a hardwire audio and video connections to the Yagura and other parts of the Obon grounds. We will still record the major events and upload it later to the San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin YouTube channel.
  • “Will this year’s Obon Festival be the same as in the past?”
    • Yes, this year’s Obon Festival will be the fourth in-person Obon since 2019 (pre-pandemic) that will have all the food and game booths. However, due to the Dharma Center construction, we are unable to use the 4th street side of our campus for games and other booths.
  • “Where can I find some of the Odori (Japanese dance) practice videos online?”
    • You can find them in this YouTube playlist.  The songs in 2026 are exactly the same as in 2025. Huge thanks to our head instructors, Moschel Kadokura and Karen Akimoto for all their work!
  • “Are there any Odori practices?”
    • Yes, this year the practices are on: 6/22 (M), 6/24 (W), 6/25 (Th), 6/29 (M), 7/1 (W) 7:30 pm – 8:45 pm. All practices are at the San Jose Buddhist Church Annex. Please note that due to construction, the main parking lot is unavailable.
  • “Where can I get yukata dressing assistance for the dancing?”
    • Unfortunately, we will not have our usual designated changing area located at 639 6th street. This is due to construction storage in that building. Here are other options you may use:
    • Sign up for a changing appointment at the SJ Buddhist Temple by emailing sjobonhelp@gmail.com
    • Email/visit Nichi Bei Busan (140 Jackson Street) for scheduled or drop in changing space. They can be reached at kimonoclubsj@gmail.com.
      • $20 for Yukata dress help and $30 for full Kimono dress help
      • Appointments at Nichi bei Bussan are from 1pm-5pm on Sat and 12pm-4pm on Sun.
      • Walk-ins available from 5pm-6pm on Sat and 4pm-5pm on Sun.
    • Here are some helpful links if you wish to dress yourself.
    • You are also welcome to wear a happi coat or simply, come as you are.
  • “I would love to volunteer. Are there still spots?”
    • Great! We have a many shifts that still need help. Send an email to sjobonhelp@gmail.com and we can send you more info. Huge thanks to the many people who have already signed up.
  • “Will there be bike parking?”
    • Unfortunately, we will not have the bike parking areas that we’ve had in the past. Please be prepared to securely lock up your bike and know that there have been several bike theft issues. If this changes, we will update this answer.
  • “I didn’t get to pre-order Obon merch, where can I find merchandise?”
    • All items will be sold at the festival.
  • “Is there handicap parking nearby?”
    • Yes, we have obtained the use of the metered parking spaces for use as handicap spaces.
  • “Why is there a red ribbon in the 2026 San Jose Obon poster?”
    • Tragically, late last year(2025), we lost one of our long-time dance instructors, Diane Tsukumoto Hurd and her husband, Peter. Diane was an instructor for over 40 years and also a dedicated Dharma School (Sunday School) teacher years ago. Diane would wear a ribbon, often red, in her hair. We miss her dearly and wanted a way to pay tribute to Diane with the red ribbon on the lantern. The main instructors will also be dancing with special uchiwa hand-crafted to honor Diane’s missing presence on the Yagura (stage).