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Free Malaysia Today
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Free Malaysia Today
Bon Odori draws 50,000 in festival's debut outside Shah Alam
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.'
The Star
12-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
Bon Odori makes debut in Sunway City
Some attended the 49th Bon Odori at Sunway City Kuala Lumpur decked out in traditional outfits. - Photo: Bernama Bon Odori 2025 arrives in Sunway City Kuala Lumpur to celebrate culture and boost visit Selangor Year 2025 Tourism. -- fotoBERNAMA (2025) HAK CIPTA TERPELIHARA PETALING JAYA: The Bon Odori Festival has made its debut at Sunway City Kuala Lumpur, featuring cultural performances, traditional dances, and more than 100 stalls offering Japanese street food, snacks, charming trinkets, handmade crafts, and unique festival finds. Held over two days starting Saturday (July 12) from 4pm to 11pm, the 49th edition of the festival is jointly organised by The Japan Club of Kuala Lumpur and Sunway City Kuala Lumpur, with support from Tourism Selangor, the Embassy of Japan, and The Japanese School of Kuala Lumpur. Sunway Malls chief executive officer HC Chan said the festival's arrival in Sunway reflected a deepening of bilateral ties and community building. "Today marks an important milestone in the history of cultural exchange between Malaysia and Japan. It is with great honour and privilege that the 49th Bon Odori Festival is being held for the first time in Sunway City Kuala Lumpur, one of Malaysia's top tourist destinations with an annual visitorship of over 42 million people," he told a press conference here on Saturday (July 12). Also present at the event were Tourism Malaysia deputy director-general Lee Thai Hung, Selangor local government and tourism committee chairman Datuk Ng Suee Lim, Tourism Selangor CEO Chua Yee Ling, Japanese ambassador to Malaysia Shikata Noriyuki, The Japan Club of Kuala Lumpur president Dai Hoshiai, and The Japan Club of Kuala Lumpur Chairman Toru Nakabayashi. Chan noted that the support of the Selangor state government and Tourism Selangor had been crucial in making the festival a success, adding that Sunway's commitment to cultural diplomacy was also reflected in its extensive collaborations with Japanese institutions in business, education, and innovation. "Sunway University has established active collaborative partnerships with more than 20 Japanese universities, with eight more in the pipeline, focusing on research collaboration, technological innovation, and student exchange programmes," he said. Meanwhile, Ng stated that the celebration of Bon Odori was in line with the spirit of unity and multiculturalism promoted under Visit Selangor Year 2025. "As Visit Selangor Year 2025 continues to gain strong momentum into its second half, we are proud to welcome more multicultural celebrations across the state, a true reflection of Selangor as a model of unity and harmony, in line with the Kita Selangor spirit," he said. He added that Japan remained one of Selangor's key international tourist markets, with Japanese tourist arrivals climbing from 110,018 in 2023 to 132,526 in 2024, marking a remarkable 20.5% increase. "We are confident that with the continued strengthening of bilateral ties between Selangor and Japan, this upward trend will persist in the years to come," he added. Bon Odori is a traditional Japanese festival celebrated with dances and lively drum performances to welcome the homecoming of ancestral spirits. Since its inception in 1977, Bon Odori has attracted a diverse crowd, supported the local economy, boosted tourism, and solidified Malaysia's position as a leading cultural and lifestyle destination in the regional tourism landscape. – Bernama Selangor local government and tourism committee chairman Datuk Ng Suee Lim (left) with Japanese ambassador Shikata Noriyuki (middle) and Sunway Mall CEO HC Chan at the press conference. - Photo: Bernama
The Star
11-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Mall group's 10th facility to open in PJ this September
Sunway Square Mall management announcing the opening of the upcoming new mall together with key tenants. Petaling Jaya will see a new shopping destination – Sunway Square Mall – opening in September in Bandar Sunway, Selangor. Spanning 300,000sq ft of net lettable area across four retail floors, it is Sunway Malls' 10th facility in the country. Sunway Square Mall emphasises leisure and entertainment. Key tenants include Village Grocer, Bump Bouldering, TGV Cinemas, The Library by BookXcess, Count, KKV, Tutu Toe Dance Academy and GoFit. With over 150 shops, the mall aims to blend lifestyle with leisure to cultivate learning, it said in a press statement. It will feature a wide array of F&B outlets to cater to the surrounding office, student and residential communities. It also has 3,000 integrated parking bays. Sunway Square is the latest development in Sunway City Kuala Lumpur, comprising twin commercial towers, a 1,200-seater performing arts centre and a 24-hour library with several million books. 'Sunway Square Mall is part of Sunway Square, a development designed to integrate a multi- faceted range of spaces, catering to the arts, commerce, education and business,' said Sunway Malls chief executive officer HC Chan. He said leisure, food and entertainment offerings had become increasingly important drivers. 'Across our malls, we saw a robust F&B performance persisting after the (Covid-19) pandemic. 'Today, F&B outlets have increased to above 25% of total mall tenants. A decade ago, F&B only took up 15% of a mall.' Sunway Malls reported a full-year growth of 5% in 2024 year-on-year. The year-end festivities saw December's sales performance growing by 5.6% despite a shorter school holiday season. The momentum continued to the first quarter of 2025, with Chinese New Year and school holidays. Sunway Malls' strongest hold is over the Klang Valley, forming 67.2% of the mall group's total net lettable area. The southern region currently forms 15.8% and the northern region, 17%. Sunway is also building another two malls, slated to complete in 2027 – Sunway Pier with a retail space of 400,000 sq ft in Port Klang and Sunway Ipoh Mall with a retail space of 1.2 million sq ft in Sunway City Ipoh. Another RM3bil mixed-used development located adjacent to the Bukit Chagar Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link station in Johor, will also feature a 400,000 sq ft retail space in 2028. The mall group is primed to own 13 malls with 8.2 million sq ft of net lettable area.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sunway Square Mall opens this Sep with 24-hour library + over 150 stores — BookXcess, KKV & more
Amid the ever-growing sea of retail hubs, high-rise condos, and concrete developments that seem to edge out every last patch of green in the city, one developer isn't slowing down anytime soon. Come Sep 2025, Sunway Malls is set to open Sunway Square Mall in Petaling Jaya, making it the 10th in their collection. Credit – Sunway Group Part of the broader Sunway Square development, the mall overlooks the calm waters of Sunway South Quay Lake and sits just a 12-minute walk from Sunway Pyramid — all within the ever-evolving ecosystem of Sunway City. But unlike its older siblings, this one feels a little bit different. Designed with the city's current generation of urban dwellers in mind, Sunway Square Mall blends spaces for community, creativity, and connection. According to Sunway Malls CEO HC Chan, it aims to be 'a trendy social hub,' reflecting the way urban life continues to shift — where leisure, food, and culture now share the spotlight with shopping. So, what does that actually mean? In short: if you're looking for a cosy, air-conditioned spot to lepak with friends over a great cup of coffee and yummy food, explore creative corners, or try out a new sport — this place has your name written all over it. The mall itself will naturally host a mix of offerings, including twin commercial towers, a 1.2K-seat performing arts centre, and a 24-hour library — which is probably the most exciting part of the news. Credit – TGV Cinemas | Credit – KKV Among the 150+ tenants, you'll find names like Village Grocer, BUMP Bouldering, TGV Cinemas, The Library by BookXcess, KKV, GoFit, and Tutu Toe Dance Academy. Plus, with 3K parking bays, finding one during your trip won't be a headache — especially on the weekends. So, what's your verdict? Is this a bold move in a saturated market — or a much-needed unique addition? Will you be dropping by? The post Sunway Square Mall opens this Sep with 24-hour library + over 150 stores — BookXcess, KKV & more appeared first on
The Star
29-04-2025
- Business
- The Star
Sunway Malls to launch Sunway Square Mall in September
An artist's impression of Sunway Square Mall PETALING JAYA: Sunway Malls will be unveiling its 10th mall, the Sunway Square Mall, in September this year. To be located at Sunway City Kuala Lumpur, the mall will span 300,000 sq ft and have a net lettable area across four retail floors. Sunway Malls said Sunway Square Mall is already 95% leased. 'Unlike conventional malls, Sunway Square Mall places emphasis on leisure and entertainment as its key differentiator. The key tenants unveiled include Village Grocer, BUMP Bouldering, TGV Cinemas, The Library by BookXcess, COUNT, KKV, Tutu Toe Dance Academy and GoFit. 'With over 150 shops and 3,000 integrated parking bays, the mall aims to blend lifestyle with leisure to cultivate learning and growth. Simultaneously, Sunway Square Mall will feature a wide array of food and beverage (F&B) to cater to the surrounding office, student, and residential communities,' said Sunway Malls in a statement. The group added that Sunway Square Mall will comprise twin commercial towers, a world-class 1,200-seater performing arts centre and a 24-hour library with several million books. Sunway Malls chief executive officer HC Chan said Sunway Square Mall is part of Sunway Square, a visionary development designed to integrate a multifaceted range of spaces, catering to the arts, commerce, education and business. 'The mall plays a pivotal role as a trendy social hub in Sunway City Kuala Lumpur, reflecting the changing lifestyles of urban dwellers with leisure, food and entertainment offerings becoming increasingly important drivers. 'Across our malls, we saw a robust F&B performance persisting after the pandemic. Due to continuous resilient out-of-home dining, F&B outlets increased to above 25% of total mall tenants today. A decade ago, F&B only took up 15% of a mall.' Sunway Malls Selangor senior general manager Jason Chin said he is confident in the strategy to helm a mall specialising in leisure, food and entertainment. 'Looking at current trends, consumers today are often on a lookout for places to engage, either over a cup of coffee, a good meal, or via sports activities. 'They want to live what they see on their screens and share their experience via their own social platforms. The artistic designs of Sunway Square Mall combined with innovative elements and a vibrant tenant mix will serve this purpose.' Sunway Malls reported a full year growth of 5% in 2024 year-on-year. The year-end festivities saw December's sales performance growing by 5.6% year-on-year despite a shorter school holiday season. 'The momentum continued to the first quarter of 2025, with Chinese New Year and the school holidays,' said Sunway Malls.
