ORIGINS

The Yosakoi event originated from the city of Kochi on the island of Shikoku in 1954 after the war. The purpose was to promote the island’s tourism and economy by adapting a local traditional folk dance called the Awa Odori into a dance parade that allows everyone to join and have fun at night, as Yosakoi means “Come at Night” in the local dialect.

Yosakoi gained in popularity amongst the young and the young at heart, because the ‘rules’ were simple: you had to use the Naruko clappers to dance, you could choreograph the dance in any style - hip hop, rock’n’roll, modern, Chinese, traditional Japanese, tango... any style at all!  But one rule more rule must be adhered to - the music MUST include the phrase of the song, “Yosakoi Naruko Dancing” that is based on a traditional folk-song of the area - Yosakoi Bushi.

In 1992, a young University student brought the Yosakoi concept to his hometown, but instead of using the Yosakoi Bushi song, they began to use the “Soran Bushi” traditional fisherman's song of Hokkaido to promote Hokkaido instead. And that was how the Yosakoi Soran Festival began!

Today, both versions of Yosakoi are practiced all over in Japan, but each festival uses either the base music of Kochi Yosakoi or the Yosakoi Soran.  It has a huge following and the popularity of the event has spread to virtually the whole of Japan with over a million people attending each one of Japan’s 3 largest Yosakoi events - the original Kochi Yosakoi; the Yosakoi Soran in Sapporo, Hokkaido and the Super Yosakoi in Harajuku Tokyo.   

What makes Penang unique is the fact that we are the only Yosakoi Festival that we know of, that allows BOTH versions of the Yosakoi in the Festival... AND that we also have our very own base music - the Penang Sakura Ondo​!    Click here to have a listen!