50th Bon Odori Festival at Sunway (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

Bon Odori (盆踊り) is a traditional Japanese folk dance festival held during the Obon season to honor and welcome the spirits of ancestors. Participants dance in circles around a raised wooden scaffold (yagura) to the rhythm of taiko drums, often wearing breathable cotton kimonos called yukata. Rooted in Buddhist traditions and folk entertainment with a history spanning over 600 years, Bon Odori is both a spiritual and festive community event. Historically meant to guide the spirits of ancestors back and forth, the dance styles and accompanying folk songs (min'yo) vary significantly by region across Japan. Today, Bon Odori is not only celebrated across Japan in mid-August but has also grown into massive cultural exchange festivals globally. For example, in locations like Malaysia, massive festivals draw tens of thousands of attendees who gather for traditional dancing, taiko drum performances, fireworks, and authentic Japanese street food. Date: 11 & 12 July, 2026 Time: 4pm – 11pm Location: Open Carpark, Sunway City Kuala Lumpur Admission: Free of Charge Day 1 - 11 July 2026 6:10PM Opening Drum Performances by JSKL 6:17PM Wadaiko Syo 6:40PM Bon Odori Dance Part 1 7:00PM Performance by Sunway Lagoon 7:07PM Performance by Tourism Selangor 7:20PM Performance by MBSJ 7:32PM Bon Odori Dance Part 2 8:00PM Fireworks Show 8:10PM Bon Odori Dance Part 3 Day 2 - 12 July 2026 6:30PM Bon Odori Dance Part 1 6:50PM Performance by Sunway Lagoon 7:00PM Performance by Tourism Selangor 7:32PM Bon Odori Dance Part 2 8:10PM Bon Odori Dance Part 3 https://www.sunwaypyramid.com/bon-odori ARCHIVED: https://archive.ph/1Yetd