Map : How to get to Matsushita Sport Centre? credit : Google Maps
Map : Alternative Map

Written by : ManMeng
Photography : Eugene / ManMeng

The Bon Festival, or more widely known as The Bon Odori Festival, are held in Malaysia annually on the 13th of July at both Shah Alam’s Matsushita Sports Centre and in Penang. But for this year itself, it was held on the 14th instead due to the weekend placement of the day itself. It is a great event to begin with especially for the first timer where you get to experience and participate in the folk dance. Originally, O-bon (お盆, O-bon?) or only Bon (盆, Bon?) is a Japanese Buddhist holiday to honor the departed spirits of one’s ancestors, however in Malaysia it is less associated with Buddhism. Some of us might even felt that it shared bit of similarity with the Hungry Ghost festival that is widely celebrated by Chinese from around the world.

Hit the jump and enjoy our coverage on the interesting annual cultural event. It was an eye opening experience for me as a first timer ever since it was held more than a decade ago!

Situated at Shah Alam which would take approximately 30 minutes to travel from either Kuala Lumpur or Klang through the Federal Highway of Malaysia, it is considered a decent spot for the event itself with good amount of cool breeze. While on the older days, it is said that the venue are held on a different location and are smaller in size.

Upon arrival, parking space was ample but there was quite a walking distance since most of the visitor are required to park at the shoulder/side of the road nearby the sports centre.

While I was informed this is the secondary entrance to the venue, I took this route and entrance right from the parking space.

The volunteers in charge. They will be glad and happy to pass you the fan which you will make a lot use of it later during the cultural dance and when you feel hot and needs some quick breeze.

The fan up-close with the itenary imprinted into the side of it. It is rather a compact event which only lasted for 2 and a half hour though the gates are open for visitor as early as 5 in the evening.

A look at the back of the secondary entrance. Mysterious enough for you wanting to know more of what is behind the curtain.

Just right after the turn. Beautiful kimono and people all all around anticipating the event which would officially starts at 7:00 P.M.

And right after a few walk inside the sport centre itself, you will quickly notice that the main attraction for the event at the moment was to photograph and being photographed.

While it might take long for you to familiarize with the whole venue itself, it is basically a sweet spot for journalist while most of the local Japanese in their traditional costume are very friendly to have their photograph taken. And cute too.

For an event that requires people to wait wouldn’t have a long lasting good impression if it not to offer a spot of good food or beverages. And for this event itself was a golden opportunity for visitor to taste some of the usual local delicacy for the Japanese during the event itself.

The famous Japanese beer. Asahi.

Okonomiyaki, which would be almost similar to the western pancake.

Pocari Sweat, which is the Japanese’s favourite “100 Plus” like ours.

On the other hand, besides from having food stalls that provide the visitor with energy before the event starts offically, there are several stalls that are selling toys or accessories that would lit up at night.

The rubber ball which is really famous during that time.

Trying to setup his new toy.

Putting the waiting aside, the center of the entire sport centre was of course the main course of the event which drummers will head the dance later at the day.

And noticebly that there are numerous lanterns that connect from a far distance towards the stage in the center of the stadium at four direction.

While it might not take long to notice that there was an increasing amount of crowd situated near the stage where all of the dancers and Taiko drummer was ready for photography session.

And let the photography & waiting session continues…

From what I can observe that is certainly the crowds are growing by every year.

Problem Child hd

The foods

Lets begin…

As the sun are about to set, and everyone was getting impatient, the event was officially started with an opening speech.

Initially, everyone was seem to be busy with their camera and photography. While not sure of what they can do at the moment when the Obon started, most of us watched patiently.

And still yet wondering what they can do at the event though at the moment there were other started to enjoy dancing.

Not long right after that, everyone starts to move around.

There were three sessions where every session consists of 4 different folk dance that none of us have any idea on how to perform it except from observing and then slowly join into the crowd. It did not take long and it was really an enjoyable experience.

There were guest performers right after the cultural dance.

And the crowd was humongous.

And surprisingly, there were also national dances from our country! Yes, we were stunned.

There were also mobile toilets provided on the outside of the venue. As I have mentioned earlier, there will also be another Bon Odori festival will be held at Penang which supposingly to be on 21st July 2007. So if anyone of you that is situated at the north of Malaysia may get to experience this special event at there. Though there were comments on how the effect of this event wore off every year and wasn’t that much good compared to how it was first all started, some blamed it on commercialisation and some felt that there weren’t as much Japanese anymore, I personally felt glad that there is still such of an event exist and ongoing where it would still be a good experience for first timer. Keeping the not so bright remarks aside, I would say there is not much of a place you would see to have that much of a foreigner to gather at a spot with our local Malaysians.

Other sites coverage on the event :

• PhotoKaki Forum (Thanks Eugene)
• Japan Foundation Kuala Lumpur
• The Embassy Japan of Malaysia Event Calender

And if you like our post visit report, you might interested to look at our coverage previously on DE.

• Auto Fiesta V3
  
• The Coke Collector’s Trade Fair
• HIV/AIDS Awareness Exhibition Campaign
• Massive Territory @ KL
• Japan T5 @ Galleriiizu, Kuala Lumpur
• Thaipusam celebration in Malaysia