Consulate-General of Japan in Penang, Malaysia
在ペナン日本国総領事館

Culture

BON ODORI FESTIVAL 2008
 
Bon Odori Festival 2008 was held in Esplanade, Penang, on July 19, 2008. the Right Honourable Chief Minister Mr. Lim Guan Eng, Mr. Hideaki Hoshi, Consul-General of Japan in Penang and The Honourable Mr. Danny Law Heng Kiang, State Executive Councilor of Tourism Development and Culture, Arts and Heritage, made opening speeches.

There were three teams of performers invited from Japan, namely Miyabi Taiko Drum Team, Ryukyu Koku Matsuri Daiko Troup and Tamagusukuryu Senjyukai Group. The local-based performers were Sakura-kai of the Penang Japanese Association (PJA), Malaysian Japanese Society (MJS), Penang Japanese School (PJS), Pink Hibiscus Club of Penang and Malaysian students from Sekolah Berasrama Penuh Integrasi Kubang Pasu (Kedah), Sekolah Menengah Sultan Abdul Halim (Kedah) and Sekolah Menengah Sains Tuanku Syed Putra (Perlis).

The Festival this year had a larger number of attendance in history of about 30,000 people (some papers reported 50,000) and provided a wonderful occasion to introduce Japanese culture to the Penangites and promoted friendship between the Japanese residents and the locals.

Bon Festival is the Buddhist observance honouring the spirits of ancestors, who return once a year to visit their families, traditionally observed from 13 to 15 August (July in some areas).

Bon dance is performed to entertain the spirits of the ancestors. Bon Odori Festivals are performed everywhere in Japan in their variety of forms of dances.

Consul-General Mr. Hoshi is explaining to The Right Honourable Chief Minister Mr. Lim Guan Eng about the performers from Japan. With them are state executive councilors and Tamagusukuryu Senjyukai and Ryukyu groups from Japan.	The Miyabi Taiko Team, headed by Master Shinko Shibazaki, has performed in Penang Bon Odori Festival for the four consecutive years. They had also performed in Japanese Drum Festival 2007 in Ipoh in conjunction with Japan-Malaysia Friendship Year 2007, and Japan Festival 2008 in Kangar, Perlis, recently.	The Right Honourable Chief Minister Mr. Lim Guan Eng is learning the Rasa Sayang dance from Master Shibazaki, the drum team leader.

Ryukyubuyo Tamagusukuryu Senjyukai has presented several “quiet” dances, with elegant and charming appearance. The audience has the chance to get a different feel as the featured dance is not that of the usual one.	Master Mieko Kinjyo (right), one of the founders of Senjyukai, was invited to perform at the Okinawa G8 Summit before. The locals have the fortune to see their premiere show right in front of them.	Ryukyu Koku Matsuri Daiko Team is also another troupe that is performing for the first time here. Their performances are more to martial arts. The group was formed in 1982, and they created new styles adapted from karate and ryukyu dance with pop-music at the same time based on traditional Bon dance in Okinawa. There are 2,000 members in the world.

The Pink Hibiscus Yosakoi Group is comprised of Japanese and local children, mothers and youngsters and seniors from all walks of life, all joined in the common interest in Japanese culture and dance.	“Soran Soran!!” This Soran Bushi is the powerful dance by Malaysian students from SBPI Kubang Pasu (Kedah), SM Sultan Abdul Halim (Kedah) and SMS Tuanku Syed Putra (Perlis).	The most awaiting moment, fireworks display, colours the night sky for about 15 minutes! Thanks to the Penang Japanese Association for sponsoring the fireworks all this while. The Festival ended at 11:00pm.