Bon Odori 2009 : UPDATED!*

[Raspberry Tea]

What is Bon Odori?

[Reveal] Spoiler:

Obon (お盆, Obon?) or just Bon (盆, Bon?) is a Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the departed (deceased) spirits of one's ancestors. This Buddhist custom has evolved into a family reunion holiday during which people return to ancestral family places and visit and clean their ancestors' graves. It has existed in Japan for more than 500 years and traditionally includes a dance, known as Bon-Odori.

Bon Odori (盆踊り, meaning simply Bon dance) is an event held during Obon. It is celebrated as a reminder of the gratefulness one should feel toward one's ancestors.

Original article from Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bon_Odori#Bon_Odori

A Bon Odori Festival is also celebrated every year at Penang and at the Matsushita Corp Stadium, Shah Alam. This celebration, which is a major attraction for the state of Selangor, is the brain child of the Japanese Expatriate & Immigrant's Society in Malaysia. In comparison to the celebrations in Japan, the festival is celebrated on a much smaller scale in Penang and Selangor (Malaysia). Here, it is less associated with Buddhism and more with Japanese culture. Held mainly to expose locals to a part of Japanese culture, the festival provides the experience of a variety of Japanese food & drinks, art and dance.
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My school's Japanese class teacher has informed us about this event.She did take a few students from school with her to the festival and she said it was awesome.So I thought I'd post it up here for those of you who might be interested.

Bon Odori Festival 2009( Selangor )
Venue : Panasonic Sports Complex (formerly Matsushita Centre)
Address : Lot 4, Persiaran Perkilangan, Seksyen 21, Shah Alam,Selangor
Date : 18th July 2009 *
Time : 5pm onwards
Tickets : Free Admission
Phone : 03-2274 2274 (Japanese Club of KL)
Free Shuttle Bus from Shah Alam KTM Station to Matsushita Stadium is provided.
Synopsis : The Bon Festival is a Japanese Buddhist custom** which is held annually to honour the deceased spirits of one's ancestors. It is meant to be a joyful celebration, bringing families together, and celebrating rather than mourning the lives of the dearly departed.

ATTENTION!! (taken from the Japanese site given by my Japanese friends)
● Strictly no smoking except for designated areas.
● No high-heels allowed in the dancing field.
● Guests are advised to car pool to the stadium due to limited car parks.
● NO COSPLAYING. Respect the Japanese culture and tradition please.

*YEAH!Yee-sensei announced in class just now - an hour ago,thought I'd post it up right away before I'd forget - that it has been confirmed that Bon Odori 2009 in Selangor is held on the 18th of July , the third Saturday of the month.Good news for those of you who have been hoping that this event wouldn't clash with DaiCon and such.There's your wish ;D

Here's the map if you need help to find your way to the Masushita Panasonic Sports Centre



Again,here's the info about the one in Penang,yeah?

Bon Odori 2009 ( Penang )
Location: Esplanade, Penang
Date: 18th July 2009
Organizer: The Consulate of Japan
Contact: 04-2263030

The same rules from the Selangor event applies to the Penang one,too.I don't have the map for the one in Penang,sorry.I'll post it if I find it anywhere,or if anyone urgently requests it.Thanks!

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[Reveal] Spoiler:

Information was taken from :
Selangor's Bon Odori Festival : http://www.malaysianbabes.net/forum/lof ... 21344.html
( the bottom part,yeah?:D )

Penang's Bon Odori Festival : http://www.visitpenang.gov.my/portal/up ... h=7&day=18

and of course,dearly Beloved Yee-sensei <3

[mamoru_sama]

i hope u can do it other then 11 and 12 lar~

dont want it clash with daicon~

T.Q

[DeidaraGS]

Oh god,I do hope with all my heart that Bon Odori doesnt clash with Daicon/Cosfest.

D:

[shara]

ive missed last year's bon odori cuz of exams
now i might missed again it for some other events...haiz
but then again...its only once a year hehehe

[Ballistic_D]

I too missed last years event. Hope to make it this year.

[Raspberry Tea]

Mamoru-sama,shara,Deidara GS,Ballistic_D >> Yeah I know D: Let's hope it doesn't clash.But sensei did say that it's around the first or second week of July (either the 4th of the 11th) So like O____O But if it DOES clash with DaiCon,I might for a bit of Daicon and then leave for Bon Odori,since Daicon is held for two days while Bon Odori is only once a year.But it all depends on luck

[mamoru_sama]

tea>>pretty please to make it in the first week~

[Key]

We know the rules well and it also applied to those people non-members here. But they messed it all up, last year. I do hope there'll be lesser people in lalas or cosplays, or rather none at all.

According to wikipedia, Bon Odori celebrates on the 15th of July, August and 15th day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar (copied from wiki). In Malaysia, it is usually celebrated in July. But the date will be different than the one in Japan.

[miyuki.sadako]

Yay! Hopefully im going again~~ ^^
and this time I WONT BE LINING UP FOR KAKIGOURI! (Last year i missed... everything... due to the stupid kakigouri.. T^T)
hope this year all the stalls have a better way for ppl to Q up though... one time my friend was lining up to buy the kakigouri.. only to have found out she was in a different line.. haiih~

this year i wanna make onigiri~ hahaha XD

[crazymafiaMyst]

WOOT! bon odori XD

[DeidaraGS]

Heheheh,time for Asahi beer,and good times hanging out with friends.

[Freelancer937]

always the second week of July.

WILL BE THERE AGAIN AND GET DRUNK AGAIN HAHAHAHAHAHA

ASAHI BEER HERE I COMEZ!!!

[Donmuri]

I think its always the Saturday of the second week of July..

[Raspberry Tea]

Mamoru-sama >> Looks like you're in luck It's on neither of the two weeks we thought it would be.Instead it's on the 3rd week.Just like Penang's -__-' They could've just said so.

Key >> Yeah,I saw some photos online of last year's Bon Odori in Selangor.I was kinda surprised to see a few people dressed in goth J-rock clothes,as if they were cosplaying.Pretty disappointing.But apart from that,the others were wearing yukatas

[space-chan]

hrmm..wnna go or not..
hopefully cn eat lotsa foods 8D

[Freelancer937]

the food is getting SUCKY =A= want real nice when you get there? Get there early before the lines starts queuing! XD

[Weiss]

ASAHI!!!.. Man i'm addicted to that stuff... can wait for Penang's BO!!!

[WeN]

walao !!! i canot go for my hometown(penang) bon odori again T.T

but nvm....cuz KL 1...can hang out wif u guys xD

[AlanChin-KakiAnime]

Thanks the great info I ever had!
I'm ready to join the event once again....
You know what, I always alone just for shooting.
If can, why don't have a CF small gathering on BON ODORI Dancing Fest?

[WeN]

cool idea oso...a group of cf forumer take a space n dance XD