Revived Bon Odori Festival in Ipoh
The greatly missed Bon Odori festival is back again in Ipoh after a six-year absence. The festival was held at the Meru Valley Resort
on Saturday, July 24 and attracted around 3000 people. Many people were seen wearing theYukata (Japanese casual summer kimono) and Geta (Japanese wooden clogs)
at the festival.
Among those who were present at the Ipoh Bon Odori Festival were the Consul-General of Japan at Penang, Mr. Tetsuro Kai and Mrs. Miya Kai, Honorary Advisers of Perak Malaysian-Japanese
Friendship Society (PMJFS), Dato’ Tomiyasu Ushiama and Dato’ Hew Choy Kon, Chairman of PMJFS, Mr. Tan Kai Weng, and Dato’ Seri Dr. S. Underwood who is the recipient of the
Order of The Sacred Treasures Gold and Silver Rays by The Emperor of Japan.
The festival started with the opening speech by Mr. Kai, Consul-General of Japan and followed by a drum performance by students of Shen Jai High School, Soran-bushi dance by Japanese
children, and an Aikido demonstration. Four rounds ofBon Odoridance were performed that night and some in the crowd joined in the dance as well to the
tunes of Tanko Bushi, Pokemon Ondo, Hokkai Bon Uta and Dragon Ondo. Mr. Akira Nakajima, former chairman of the Japan Club of Ipoh serenade the crowd
with Japanese songs such as Kita Guni No Haru and Subaru.
Apart from the dance performances, the visitors had the chance to taste Japanese and local food and tried playing traditional Japanese games such
as kingyo sukui (goldfish scooping) and yoyo tsuri (water balloon fishing).
The Bon Odori festival which is similar to the Qing Ming festival (Chinese All Souls Day Festival), is celebrated to honour the departed spirits
of one’s ancestors. The festival has since become a tradition and culture for Japanese people and is also celebrated in other countries.
The Ipoh Bon Odori Festival is co-organized by the Consulate-General of Japan at Penang, Japan Club of Ipoh, Perak Malaysian-Japanese
Friendship Society, Tenby Schools of Ipoh, Kinta Properties Sdn. Bhd. and Meru Valley Resort Bhd.
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