Nine Emperor Gods Festival in Johor Bahru: where to go, and where to eat vegetarian

What is the Nine Emperor Gods Festival?

The Nine Emperor Gods Festival (九皇爷诞, also called 九皇胜会) is a Taoist celebration held over the first nine days of the ninth lunar month. It is observed by Chinese communities across Malaysia, Singapore and southern Thailand, where it is known as the Phuket Vegetarian Festival. Devotees welcome the Nine Emperor Gods from the sea or river on the eve of the festival, keep a strict vegetarian diet, dress in white, and pray for health and good fortune. On the ninth night, the gods are sent back to the sea.

Many devotees keep a Buddhist-style 斋 diet: as well as meat, they avoid the five pungent vegetables (五荤): onion, garlic, leeks, chives and shallots. Some also avoid eggs and dairy. If you’re fasting strictly, choose kitchens that cook without them, or ask before you order.

Restaurants and hawker stalls serving vegetarian food during the festival often hang a yellow flag marked with the character 斋 (vegetarian). If you see one, you’re in the right place.

When is it in 2026?

Festival

1st–9th day of the 9th lunar month, around 10–18 October 2026

Welcoming

Sam Siang Keng welcomes the gods at the seaside a few days before the festival begins

Send-off

The final night, when the gods return to the sea

Exact ritual times change every year. Check the temple’s own announcements before you go, especially for the welcoming and send-off processions.

Where to go: Sam Siang Keng temple (三善宫)

Sam Siang Keng, 55 Jalan Yahya Awal, Johor Bahru is the centre of Nine Emperor Gods worship in JB. The temple has celebrated the festival since the 1950s, when sacred incense ash was brought down from the Nine Emperor Gods temple in Ampang, and it now draws devotees from across Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan.

During the festival you can expect:

• The welcoming procession at the seaside, bringing the gods to the temple.
• The “peace bridge”, which devotees cross to receive blessings.
• Thousands of lanterns and yellow prayer flags lighting up the temple.
• Free vegetarian meals (rice, noodles, curries, desserts and mung bean drinks) cooked by temple volunteers for visitors.
• The send-off on the last night, when a ceremonial boat is burned to carry the gods home.

Open Sam Siang Keng in Google Maps ↗

Visiting respectfully: wear white or light colours, avoid eating meat on the day you visit, keep a respectful distance from devotees in trance or during rituals, and ask before taking close-up photos. The temple is busiest in the evenings and on the welcoming and send-off days.

Where to eat vegetarian in JB during the festival

Keeping the nine-day fast doesn’t mean eating the same plate of noodles every day. These are good places to eat in and around the city.

1. Our pick in the old town

   MeeTup by Dr Su

   Unit 51, Jalan Tan Hiok Nee, Johor Bahru · 100% vegetarian · Malaysian

   A fully vegetarian Malaysian café on JB’s best-loved heritage street. Nothing on the menu contains meat, poultry or seafood. If you keep a strict 斋 without the five pungent vegetables (五荤: onion, garlic, leeks, chives and shallots), ask our team which dishes suit you. Come for Kampung Rendang Poke Tup (coconut rice with mock-mutton rendang), Golden Curry Mee, flaky roti canai with dhal, and a cold mocktail after the temple crowds.

   • Kampung Rendang Poke Tup
   • Golden Curry Mee
   • Roti Canai, Dhal & Sambal
   See the menu Get directions

2. Merry Land Vegetarian (雅阁素食馆)

   16, Jalan Pingai, Taman Pelangi · Chinese vegetarian

   A long-running Chinese vegetarian restaurant run on Buddhist vegetarian principles, known for mock meats and classics like mock goose and Buddha’s delight (罗汉斋). It doesn’t serve eggs.

3. Life Ricette

   Downtown Johor Bahru · Buddhist vegetarian · Chinese, Malaysian & Western

   Cooks without garlic or onion, in line with Buddhist vegetarian principles: noodles, curries and rice bowls, a good choice if you’re keeping the strict fast.

   Find it on Google Maps ↗

4. Vburg

   72, Jalan Laksamana 2, Taman Ungku Tun Aminah, Skudai · Vegetarian café & bakery

   A vegetarian café with its own bakery next door. Taman Ungku Tun Aminah is known locally as JB’s vegetarian street, so there are more meat-free shops nearby.

During the festival, Sam Siang Keng also serves free vegetarian meals to visitors, and you’ll find yellow-flag vegetarian stalls at many hawker centres. Opening hours change over festival days, so check Google Maps before you head out.

Make a day of it

Sam Siang Keng is a short Grab ride from the old town. Pray at the temple in the morning, then come to Jalan Tan Hiok Nee for lunch and spend the afternoon walking past the Johor Old Chinese Temple, the Chinese Heritage Museum and the old shophouses. Our walking guide covers that route in Chinese (简体 · 繁體).

FAQ

Is MeeTup fully vegetarian?

Yes. The whole menu is free of meat, poultry and seafood. The rendang uses mock mutton, and the curries and sambal are vegetarian.

Do I need to book?

No. Walk in, scan the QR code on your table to order, or order takeaway.

How do I pay?

Cash, card or DuitNow at the counter.

Is the festival open to non-devotees?

Yes, visitors are welcome at the temple. Dress modestly, follow the temple’s guidance and be respectful during rituals.

Festival details are based on the temple’s past celebrations and Malaysian news reports. Dates follow the lunar calendar, so please confirm times with Sam Siang Keng before visiting.