Members of the Japanese expatriate community dancing on stage during the Bon Odori.
THE Penang Bon Odori Festival 2024 brought thousands of visitors together through an outstanding cultural exchange.
From joyful dancing to fun games and delicious food, families and friends had a wonderful time on the breezy Esplanade in George Town.
Many came dressed in colourful yukata and wasted no time snapping selfies at photo corners and archways, enlivened by lanterns and cherry blossoms.
Many made a beeline to the food trucks and stalls lining the road in front of the town hall and City Hall.
There was a wide selection of local and Japanese cuisines to dig into, from sushi and udon to fish cakes, and even a fusion take on laksa.
Engineering technician Dewi Maharani Hassan, 22, was spotted enjoying the food with her two friends.
The Esplanade field packed with thousands of visitors for the Penang Bon Odori Festival.
“I’ve been to Bon Odori before and even the Yosakoi parade, as it’s good to experience different cultures. We loved the lively atmosphere and food,” she said.
Equally popular were the activity booths that offered the popular goldfish fishing and balloon scooping games, as well as origami workshops, among others.
Judo practitioners were on hand to demonstrate the martial art and teach eager festival-goers some of the moves.
Stage activities started with the Wadaiko and Yosakoi Soran performances, followed by the Soran Bushi.
An adaptation of the popular local tune Rasa Sayang Eh also got some in the crowd dancing along as night fell.
In between, the finale of the Miss Penang Bon Odori 2024 pageant played out.
Having won medals for her state and country in karate, Madeline Wong Mei Ge turned her sights to the catwalk.
The 22-year-old university student was crowned Miss Penang Bon Odori 2024 after confidently strutting around in a yukata and impressing judges with her eloquence.
Newly-crownded Miss Penang Bon Odori 2024 Wong (middle) flanked by runner-up Woo (right) and third place Tan. - Photos: Chan Boon Kai/ The Star
“I wanted to challenge myself to do something different, but to win was beyond my expectations,” she said.
“In karate, you have to be tough and physical. In a beauty pageant, you need to be graceful and gentle instead,” said Wong.
The 1.63m-tall local edged out seven other finalists to win the title.
Besides the crown, she won RM1,500 in cash, a 5day/3night trip to Hainan (China) and a 3day/2night stay at an upcoming hotel.
The win capped a memorable few weeks for the final-year international business degree student at Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology (TAR UMT) in Penang.
In July, she represented Malaysia at the 21st Asean University Games held in Surabaya-Malang, Indonesia, and won a silver in the team kata.
Wong, who also won the Miss Photogenic subsidiary title, pledged to use her new role to promote cross-cultural exchanges.
In second place in the beauty contest was Misaki Woo, 25, a customer service executive at a logistics company.
Children having fun with the ‘kingyo sukui’ (or scooping goldfish) game.
She was born in Shibuya, Japan, to a Malaysian father and a Chinese mother. The family then lived in Yokohama before moving back to Malaysia when she was three.
“This cultivated my interest in Japanese culture, and I grew up watching anime and (Japanese) dramas. It’s an honour to be among the top three,” said Woo, who also won the Miss Ambassador title.
Securing third place and the Miss Elegant title was accountant Angeline Tan Ying Ying, 29.
Woo and Tan were awarded RM1,000 and RM700 respectively, besides other prizes.
During the event, loud cheers greeted the appearance of Pikachu, a beloved and iconic character from the Pokemon franchise, whose cheerful antics and cute dance moves melted even adult hearts.
Crowds thronging the street of food trucks and stalls to indulge in delicious grub.
The Consul-General of Japan in Penang, Yoshiyasu Kawaguchi said, “This festival is a significant event as it provides an opportunity for people to explore the beauty and culture of Japan, thus promoting cultural exchange.”
Penang tourism and creative economy committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said Bon Odori was introduced in the state in the 1970s by the Japanese expatriate community as a way to share their cultural heritage.
The event ended with an impressive fireworks display, a lucky draw and band performances.
