Are there any public dances in Japan similar to prom or homecoming?

1 comment

1. Short answer, no. The “take a date to a dance” type of event is just really really not a thing in Japan.

   Long answer …. I think the best Japanese equivalent would be something like a summer festival. That wouldn’t be for a specific school (it would be a local/neighborhood event). But it’s definitely a thing where, for example, a guy might ask a girl he likes to go to the festival with him (or in a group). And you do sort of get the dress-up element because people often wear yukata to those, so the girl might spend extra time doing hair and makeup and picking out a really cute yukata so it’s the same experience of wearing something that’s more for a special occasion and not something you wear on a daily basis. (Google like “Japan summer festival yukata” or something for some examples.)

   You could have the characters going around to the festival game stalls, food stalls, and often there would be big fireworks too.

   As for dancing … there are performances at those kind of festivals. Sometimes on a stage, sometimes in a parade. (Look up “bon odori dance” for some examples.) But it’s typically various local dance groups that specifically are performing. So it’s not the sort of thing that attendees/spectators join in.

   And if you’re looking for something that would be specifically centered around one school, then something like a school festival (bunkasai) could be an option.