Malaysian Student Danced at Festival—Received Three Medals for Enthusiasm

Kochi, Japan—an inspiring Malaysian student actively took part in one of Japan’s annual summer festivals. Throughout summer, Japan celebrates the warm season with brilliant festivals or matsuri, which often includes watching firework shows, enjoying street food stalls, and performing historical dances. This year, Alya Qurratu Ain, a student majoring in International Studies at Kochi University decided to partake in the festival, not as a spectator, but as a performer, in a dance festival that is unique to Kochi City: the Yosakoi Festival.

According to Tourism Shikoku, the Yosakoi Festival in Kochi ranks among Japan’s 10 largest festivals and has been held for more than 60 years. It is an energetic and powerful festival where dancers carry the naruko wooden clappers and gyrate their hips in synchronized rhythm. For Alya, this was a valuable opportunity to understand and experience the culture of Kochi firsthand, while building connections with people of different nationalities. Furthermore, it offered a chance to revive her high school passion, as she had previously been a member of the Yosakoi club.

As a hijabi, the heat of summer presented the biggest challenge for Alya, especially while wearing thick clothing during high-energy performances. She also struggled with moments of self-doubts while doing rehearsals with the group, being the only foreign student in it. Despite these hurdles, she persevered through the support and guidance from her kind-hearted peers and seniors.

“My club mates were truly kind and patient with me, so I got the confidence to continue until the end!” Alya shared. “The club seniors also handled everything smoothly and with charisma, which made me feel like I also want to be like them.”

After executing an astounding performance at the festival, Alya’s hard work eventually paid off as she received not one, but three medals in recognition for her charismatic movements throughout the dance. She said that she was not expecting the outcome as this was her first time partaking in the Yosakoi festival. What started as a struggle, became an incredibly special moment for her as an international student, and for her other club mates who also received the medals of recognition.

Looking ahead, Alya Qurratu Ain said that she hoped to resume her activities as an active member of the club and continue to partake in the next year’s Yosakoi festival. She also encourages other international students to embrace themselves to unfamiliar opportunities, regardless of the many hesitations of being a foreigner.

“Although you know you will be the only foreigner there, I would recommend you do it scared and unready,” she advised. “Because if you want to wait until you are not, it is going to take a long time. So, do it while scared!”