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Nipponbashi Street Festival started in 2005, with this year marking the ninth time the event has been held. With each time, the number of attendees grows. Last year, there were over 220,000 people. The event is so popular that in terms of the number of visitors per day, it even exceeds Comic Market.
This year’s event was held on March 24 and featured various programs such as a parade of maids from maid cafes in Nipponbashi and a live concert of Takayoshi Tanimoto, who is known for singing the theme song to Dragon Ball Z Kai. Furthermore, doing cosplay on the street where it is usually forbidden also added to the festival’s charm.
When asked about the festival, Jenna Cirillo, an American living in Japan for two years who was cosplaying as a character from Train Man, said, “It’s awesome and very unique!” She went on to say, “The American Comic-Con International feels a bit controlled, whereas this festival feels much more free.” She also told us about her plans for next year: “I’d like to challenge myself with One Piece and Anpanman cosplay.”
Since cosplay events are usually held indoors, they a have a kind of restricted image attached to them. However, it seems that many people felt that they could carefreely participate in this outdoor event. Japanese cosplayers didn’t lose to the overseas cosplayers who came with burning enthusiasm. All kinds of characters, from Ghibli works such as Castle in the Sky and Porco Rosso to popular Vocaloids, were marching around Nipponbashi; it was dazzling.
It seems that the festival embroiled all of Nipponbashi with excitement, and we talked to Nobuaki Shimo from the Nipponbashi Street Festival’s executive committee about what the district hopes to achieve from the festival:
“I myself have been participating since the third time, and the number of guests, including those coming from overseas, is rapidly increasing. Today, Nipponbashi has a strong subcultural image with anime shops and maid cafes, but it is originally known for its electronic appliance stores. Through this festival, we would like to attract more visitors. In doing so, more electronic stores will also come to the area. That’s how we are hoping to add to the stimulation of Nipponbashi.
“Cosplay is the biggest factor in attracting visitors, but we are making efforts so that people unfamiliar with cosplay or visitors who come with their families can also carefreely enjoy the festival. Whether it’s renting the gymnasium and organizing a robot event or making cosplaying more open so that everyone can enjoy it...we would also like to expand the area and lure more visitors.”
Shimo, who enthusiastically contributes to Nipponbashi, also runs a blog site called “Omaketeki Ponbashi” (http://blog.goo.ne.jp/omaketeki) where there are new updates regarding Nipponbashi every day. Check it out!
To everybody from overseas who couldn’t come this year, come feel the heat of the Nipponbashi Street Festival next year!
This is a TokyoOtakuMode original article.
