Foorin's "Paprika" Bon Odori music video is complete! Choreography explanation video also released

■The video was produced by Shishiyamazaki, who also produced the opening video for the NHK drama series “Tiger and Wings”!

“Paprika” has been widely loved, especially by children, since its release in August 2018. This summer, a new Bon Odori version of the song was choreographed and a new music video was released.

The video was produced by Shishiyamazaki, who also produced the opening video for the NHK morning drama “Tora ni Wings.” Based on the concept of “a daytime Bon dance blessed by the sun,” the video is a bright and energetic video that uses rotoscope animation to depict five children, Tomohiko Tsujimoto playing the drums, and three monsters.

The choreography for the Bon Odori version was created by Tomohiko Tsujimoto and Koharu Sugawara, who also choreographed “Paprika,” as well as under the supervision of Yoshinari Houchou.

A video explaining the choreography of the Paprika Bon Dance was also released, and the Paprika Bon Dance was used early on at the 89th Yutenji Mitama Festival Children’s Bon Dance Festival, held in Meguro Ward, Tokyo on July 17th, 18th, and 19th, where local children could be seen enjoying themselves.

Foorin’s “Paprika” was released on August 15, 2018, and was written, composed, and produced by Kenshi Yonezu as part of the “NHK 2020 Support Song Project,” a project to support everyone working hard toward 2020 and the future beyond. The song quickly became popular among children all over Japan, sparking a major social phenomenon.

At the end of 2019, Foorin became the youngest person ever to win the 61st Japan Record Awards and appeared on the 71st NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen. The dance music video for “Paprika” has now been viewed over 250 million times on YouTube.

In addition, Foorin’s “Paprika” Bon Odori and Kenshi Yonezu’s “Paprika” will be aired on NHK’s “Minna no Uta” from August to September.

Come and enjoy the newly created “Paprika” Bon Dance this summer with your whole family, across generations.

■ Comment from Shishiyamazaki
For several years now, I’ve been thinking about turning “Paprika” into a Bon Odori dance.
When I saw the children all excited at once when “Paprika” started playing at the festival, I thought that if I made it into a Bon Odori, it would be a song that would be loved for 100 years to come. I learned a certain amount about Bon Odori through the choreography of the official theme song of the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo, but I thought it would be more interesting to keep the original dance choreography of “Paprika” and add the orthodox style of Bon Odori to it. I would like to see children dancing this dance at the center of festivals, and I would like it to become a dance that people can learn as children and dance even when they become adults. I would be happy if it continues for 50 or 60 years and becomes a summer tradition that people of all ages can dance to in any era.