Bon Odori draws 50,000 in festival's debut outside Shah Alam

Free Malaysia Today

15-07-2025

Annual Japanese festival Bon Odori, held for the first time in Sunway City instead of Shah Alam, attracted 50,000 people from all walks of life. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle)
PETALING JAYA : The 49th Bon Odori Festival drew a record-breaking crowd of over 50,000 visitors at Sunway City Kuala Lumpur on July 12-13, the first time the Japanese summer celebration was held outside Shah Alam in nearly five decades.
Previously held at the Panasonic Stadium in Shah Alam, the strategic move to Sunway City was to broaden the event's outreach under the 'Surprising Selangor' campaign in conjunction with Visit Selangor Year 2025.
'Bon Odori is more than a festival. It's a reflection of the deep ties between Malaysia and Japan,' said Sunway Mall's chief executive officer HC Chan, who expressed hope that the two-day format would continue well into the future.
Co-organised by the Japan Club of Kuala Lumpur (JCKL), the Japanese School of Kuala Lumpur and the Japanese embassy, with support from Tourism Selangor, the festival featured over 100 stalls, musical performances and crowd-led traditional dances.
Selangor executive councillor for local government and tourism Ng Suee Lim (left) with Japan's ambassador to Malaysia Noriyuki Shikata during the Bon Odori festival over the weekend. (Moganraj Villavan @ FMT Lifestyle pic)
Japan's ambassador to Malaysia Noriyuki Shikata said preparations for the expanded format took more than half a year, involving close coordination with local authorities and cultural partners.
Bon Odori, a summer festival rooted in Japanese Buddhist tradition, has evolved into a massive cultural celebration across Malaysia since its inception here in 1977.
Originally held so Japanese expatriates could pass on their heritage to their children, the event now attracts a multi-ethnic crowd eager to immerse in food, music and dance.
'Tonight is not just a celebration of dance or food, it is a bridge between our communities,' said Selangor executive councillor for local government and tourism Ng Suee Lim at the launch.
He praised Sunway's involvement in elevating the festival into a tourism highlight, noting a sharp rise in Japanese tourist arrivals to the state — from 110,018 in 2023 to 132,526 in 2024, an increase of 20.5%.
Year 9 students of the Japanese School of Kuala Lumpur opened the Bon Odori festival with a stirring Taiko drum and dance performance. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle)
Students from the Japanese School of Kuala Lumpur opened the festival with a spirited Taiko performance before leading the Bon Odori dance from the central Yagura platform, a symbolic act to invite the crowd to join in.
Year 9 student Aika Sato, who performed on July 12 with a group of 18 Taiko drummers and 15 dancers, said they trained daily for a month to master three sets of traditional routines.
'We practised after lunch and during our breaks every day. It's our way of sharing Japan's traditional dances,' she said.
'It's a bit different here compared with Japan, where the festivals are bigger and usually end with fireworks. Whether in Japan or here, it's all about sharing and coming together,' she added.
Year 9 student Aika Sato of the Japanese School of Kuala Lumpur says Bon Odori is all about sharing and coming together as one community. (Moganraj Villavan @ FMT Lifestyle pic)
Sunday featured a different lineup with Year 7 and Year 8 students leading the performance, including 58 dancers and 12 drummers.
Chan said the Bon Odori event reflected Sunway's broader collaboration with Japan through education and business, including joint ventures in IT, clean energy and university exchanges.
'Through events like this, we are not just building townships, we are nurturing cross-cultural communities,' he said.
Festivalgoers indulged in everything from mouthwatering yakitori to takoyaki and ramune soda. Food stalls were curated by Pingmin Market and included Muslim- and non-Muslim-friendly offerings, in line with the festival's inclusive ethos.
Admission to the festival was free, and crowd control was managed with assistance from the police, the Subang Jaya City Council and medical volunteers.
Visitors to the Bon Odori event look on as 18 Taiko drummers and 15 dancers from the Japanese School of Kuala Lumpur perform. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle)
JCKL president Dai Hoshiai described the event as a symbol of cross-cultural harmony.
'It started small, but has now become one of the largest Bon Odori festivals outside of Japan,' he said.
For many, the festival offered more than entertainment – it was a bridge between cultures.
'We want people to experience our dance, food and games, and understand Japanese traditions,' Sato said. 'That's what Bon Odori means to me.'