Penang Bon Odori Festival 2011
The Penang Bon Odori Festival 2011 was held on 16 July at the Esplanade, Georgetown. Visitors, both local
and foreign enjoyed the sights and sounds of the annual Japanese festival. The Bon Odori Festival in Penang
is one of the biggest Bon Odori Festivals held outside of Japan attracting a large number of crowds to the
event every year.
It was reported approximately 70,000 people thronged the Esplanade for Bon Odori Festival
The festival started with the opening speeches by State Executive Councilor of Tourism Development and
Culture, YB Mr. Danny Law Heng Kiang and the Consul-General of Japan in Penang, Mr. Tetsuro Kai.
YB Danny Law presented a souvenir to Mr. Tetsuro Kai, Consul-General of Japan at the opening ceremony
Ms. Ranko Kurano, a distinguished Japanese musician and opera singer charmed the crowds with her medley
of Japanese traditional songs such as Cyatsumi, Mura Matsuri, Matsushima Ondo and a popular song,
Tsubasa wo Kudasai. Ms. Kurano sings widely in Japan, Europe and Malaysia and performed in Penang for
the 2010 Georgetown Festival.
Ms. Kurano wowed the crowds with “Getaran Jiwa”, a song made famous by the late Tan Sri P. Ramlee
This year’s Bon Odori featured a fantastic performance of Yosakoi dance by the Samurai Maeda Toshiie
Ondo Mai dance group who came all the way from Nagoya city in Japan. The group’s name is derived from a
famous Japanese samurai “Maeda Toshiie”. The 22 member dance group was joined by the Pink Hibiscus
to perform the Nagoya de Go dance.
Samurai Maeda Toshiie Ondo Mai group performing the Nagoya de Go dance with children
from the Pink Hibiscus
The Samurai Maeda Toshiie Ondo Mai is the performance member of the Nippon Domannaka
Festival which is the largest Yosakoi Festival in the central part of Japan.
Download Yosakoi dance songs here:
Toshiie no Kaze
Toshiie ONDO
Nagoya de GO2
The Sasayama Dekansyo Dance Wakamono Ren group visiting Penang under the Japan-East Asia
Network of Exchange for Students and Youths (JENESYS) Programme gave an orthodox traditional
Dekansho dance performance. The Dekansho is a folk song, originated from Sasayama, Hyogo
prefecture in 17th century.
Dekansho Dance by JENESYS mission members and Konatsu
Other performances for the festival included the Bon-Odori dance by Sakura-kai of the Penang
Japanese Association, Malaysian Japanese Society, Penang Japanese Language Society and
Konatsu members, Taiko (drum) performance by students of the Penang Japanese School, and the
Soran-bushi dance by Malaysian secondary schools students from Perlis and Kedah.
Students from the Penang Japanese School performing the Taiko
Soran Bushi dance by students from Perlis and Kedah
People enjoy dancing Rasa Sayang, Tanko Bushi, Tokyo Ondo and Pokemon Ondo on and around the stage
The highlight of the event was the five minute multi-coloured fireworks display which was sponsored by Japanese
companies and the Penang Japanese Association.
Fireworks concluded the 2011 Bon Odori Festival
This yearly celebration is co-organized by the Penang State Government, Consulate-General of Japan in Penang,
the Penang Japanese Association, the Malaysian Japanese Society, the Japan Graduates’ Association
of Malaysia-Northern Branch, the Penang Japanese Language Society and the Alumni of Overseas Technical
Scholarships.
Pre-event dinner at the Consul-General's official residence
A pre-event dinner was also held at the official residence of the Consul-General of Japan’s on the eve of the
Festival to welcome the performers from Japan.
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