Thousands of visitors formed a long queue, winding its way to the Bon Odori 2025 Festival held for the first time at the open-air carpark (opposite Sunway Resort Hotel), Sunway City, Subang Jaya in Selangor over two days from July 12-13.
The 49th edition featured cultural performances and over 100 stalls selling Japanese street food and snacks, charming trinkets, handmade crafts and one-of-a-kind festival finds.
Co-organised by the Japan Club of Kuala Lumpur, the Japanese School of Kuala Lumpur, Embassy of Japan in Malaysia and Sunway City, the vibrant Japanese summer festival celebrates the friendship between Japan and Malaysia and boosts Visit Selangor Year 2025.
“It is an honour for me to be here today to celebrate the 49th Bon Odori Festival and even more meaningfully, to witness this cultural celebration being held at Sunway for the first time after decades of being held at the Panasonic Stadium, Shah Alam,” said Selangor local government and tourism committee chairman Dato’ Ng Suee Lim at the Bon Odori 2025 press conference held at The Pinnacle Sunway on July 12, 2025.
He said the celebration not only marks the 49th Bon Odori Festival, but also serves as a strong cultural bridge, fostering unity and friendship between the Japanese and Malaysian communities.
“I believe it can forge connections between communities across borders, bringing together Malaysians, Japanese expatriates, tourists, students and families.”
Ng said, “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 Selangorspirit.
“Japan remains one of Selangor’s top international tourist markets, with 110,018 arrivals in 2023 and 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.
Sunway Malls chief executive officer HC Chan said the festival, which started in 1977 by the Japan Club of Kuala Lumpur that draws 30,000 participants annually, holds a very important and significant role in facilitating, promoting and strengthening the cultural ties between the people of Malaysia and Japan.
“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 annual visitorship of over 42 million people.”
He said, “The Bon Odori festival is an extension of Sunway’s collaboration with Japanese entities. Sunway has forged significant and impactful collaborations with Japanese entities across business and education, to promote academic exchanges and strengthening economic relations between the peoples of Malaysia and Japan.”
“It is indeed timely and an honour to host a large-scaled cultural exchange such as Bon Odori in Sunway City Kuala Lumpur,” he added.
Also present at the event were Japanese Ambassador to Malaysia Shikata Noriyuki, The Japan Club of Kuala Lumpur president Dai Hoshiai, The Japan Club of Kuala Lumpur chairman Toru Nakabayashi, Subang Jaya state assemblywoman Michelle Ng Mei Sze, Tourism Malaysia deputy director general Lee Thai Hung, Tourism Selangor chief executive officer Chua Yee Ling and Subang Jaya deputy mayor Mohd Zulkurnain Che Ali.
Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari who arrived later in the evening also joined the celebration, an event the Selangor state government has given their full support.
The evenings came alive with an opening taiko drum performance followed by performances such as the iconic Bon Odori dance, a traditional Japanese folk-dance performed during the Obon festival.
Malaysian cultural performances by Perbadanan Adat Melayu & Warisan Negeri Selangor and Sunway Lagoon professional dancers were also featured alongside the Bon Odori dances and music.
In Malaysia, the Bon Odori festival started in 1977 as a small affair for Japanese expatriates and their children to experience Japanese culture. It has since grown into a large annual event that attracts over 30,000 visitors annually, making it the biggest Japanese cultural event in Malaysia, and possibly even the largest Bon Odori Festival outside of Japan.
The event offers everyone a chance to experience Japanese culture first-hand, including cultural performances, food and various aspects of Japanese traditions.
