The entries are all in, Danny Choo has spoken, and the winners of our Mirai Suenaga Smart Doll Giveaway have been decided!
The grand prize of a Mirai Suenaga Smart Doll goes to @salthime on Instagram, with Sugarbon_pop and Anni_Nougat as runners-up who each get a set of “Moegana” Mirai-chan flashcards. Congratulations to our winners, and huge thanks to everybody who entered! Our winners will receive their prizes at HYPER JAPAN Festival 2017.
HYPER JAPAN Christmas Market will be welcoming the manga duo PEACH-PIT to the UK this November! We’re proud to offer this year’s festival-goers the incredibly rare chance to meet these talented artists and gain insight into the team behind some of their favourite series.
BIOGRAPHY
PEACH-PIT is composed of two artists, Banri Sendo and Shibuko Ebara, who made their professional debut in 2000. As well as being the original creators of 2008’s Shugo Chara! (Childrens’ Division winner of the 32nd Kodansha Manga Awards), they’re also behind other famous manga series like DearS, Rozen Maiden, Vampiress of the Dawn, Wandering Wonder World and Zombie-Loan. As well as their genre-spanning manga work, and working on the anime adaptations of their own series, they’ve also worked as character designers for series such as the now-airing “Trickster: Edogawa Rampo ‘Shōnen Tantei-dan’ Yori”.
OFFICIAL SITE
Our first performer announcement for this year’s HYPER JAPAN Christmas Market is Japanese rock & roll band THE TOMBOYS!
BIOGRAPHY
Starting life as a Scandal cover band in 2011 at the age of 14, the members went by “NoName” and have got to the finals of the annual Scandal cover band contest on more than one occasion, winning awards from two members. Nowadays, they perform their own original music as THE TOMBOYS all around Japan, and came to the UK earlier this year to record 4 songs produced by ex Sex Pistols bassist Glen Matlock! Their one-off performance in London left the UK wanting more of their happy, cute-but-punky rock sound, and they’re returning this November to deliver it to our HYPER JAPAN Christmas Market audience!
OFFICIAL SITE
http://noname-band-official.tumblr.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpbaBrT35cA
The dust is still settling, but we’ve reached the end of another exciting HYPER JAPAN Festival! Sunday delivered just as much excitement as the rest of the weekend, and our visitors will be leaving with wonderful matsuri memories of the event.
The fun, food and frolics continued with a bevvy of stage acts and activities, but we’re especially happy to mention our very first COSTest was a smash hit, featuring an array of lovingly-crafted costumes from all walks of pop culture. Plus, the winner took home ae fabulous RICOH THETA camera as the main prize!
Overall, we’d like to say a big thankyou to all our guests, performers, visitors and exhibitors, who made the whole event memorable for all concerned! Our next HYPER JAPAN event is the Christmas Market, taking place for the second time at the very festive Tobacco Dock venue, following our successful inaugural show there last year! Tickets will go onsale around August, so keep your eyes peeled and start preparing yourselves for another amazing HYPER JAPAN soon!
As usual, we’d love your feedback as always so please take a minute or two out to fill in our post-event surveys! Your suggestions help inform us of what you’d like the future of HYPER JAPAN to look like, and exactly which of Japan’s best cultural offerings we try and share with the UK.
The first survey link will take you to the pop questionnaire, which will help us choose our guests for our upcoming HYPER JAPAN Christmas Market 2016. The second link is for a general questionnaire, about HYPER JAPAN in general.
It’s no secret that every HYPER JAPAN event attracts cosplayers from all over the UK, and the world! This November, we’re once again giving them their chance to strut their stuff before our appreciative crowd of visitors, the HYPER JAPAN COSParade.
While details are still TBC, there will be COSParade shows on Saturday November 26th’s second session, as well as Sunday November 27th. We’re welcoming all cosplayers to enter now via our online application form below, the signup deadline is the end of October.
Saturday’s two sessions have been an amazing day of J-culture fun and excitement, with visitors revelling in the “matsuri” festival atmosphere! Check out some of the highlights below:
Our J-Style Fashion show was an incredible mixture of Japanese-themed Harajuku-inspired looks, including Fairy Kei, Lolita, and more! Plus, Less Than Love’s Yucha was a special guest, showing off a cool new look of her own!
Speaking of strutting onstage, our COSParade featured dozens of cosplayers showing off an array of lovingly-crafted costumes from all walks of pop culture! The special prize draw for a RICOH Theta camera was just the icing on the cake for the participants, who got to enjoy the audience’s adulation.
Sticking with the world of Japanese pop culture, Mangajuku taught special classes to participants who’d never normally have the opportunity to learn with the authentic Manga drawing tools on offer. Each student also gets to take home their own set including a G-pen and brush pen, so they can keep developing their skills at home. If you have an interest in drawing, even if it’s not manga-style, the pen techniques they teach are worth adding to your repertoire!
Our Sake Experience naturally delighted participants all day long, but that was just part of the smorgasbord of EAT-JAPAN goodies on offer. Japanese street foods, traditional “wagashi” style sweets, more sushi and sashimi than one can shake a stick at… That’s before getting into the saccharine excitement of the Tofu Cute Candy Festival! Suffice to say, our visitors have enjoyed their fill of Japanese foods no matter what their tastes, and you can too! We’re already more than halfway through this year’s HYPER JAPAN Festival, but there’s still time to come and join in the fun tomorrow.
YO! Sushi are returning to this summer’s HYPER JAPAN Festival, and they’re bringing their A-Game with a selection of amazing Japanese and Japanese-inspired foods!
Three special hot bento meals are on offer, with delicious Nagoya-style crispy fried chicken wings, salmon katsu buns, and yakisoba-pan rolls serving as the main event. Alongside these, four Japanese-style twists on the sashimi-style Hawaiian dish Pokē rice salad will make your mouth water as they pair salmon, yellowfin tuna, spicy chicken or sesame tofu with with dressed seaweed, crispy shallots, house pickled cucumber and red onion on a bed of seasoned rice, sprinkled with yuzu furikake. Rounding out their selection are Ginza and Dynamite rolls, marrying two different kinds of salmon sushi roll with the exciting spicy kick of sriracha sauce; For the brave, the Dynamite rolls even have an extra kick of rayu chilli oil! Come have yourself a taste of these new spins on familiar favourites this summer at HYPER JAPAN Festival.
© Masayoshi KusunagaWe’re pleased to announce that MIOU is returning to HYPER JAPAN Festival once again this summer! After her appearance at our summer 2014 event this globetrotting Japanese singer-songwriter will once more be lighting up our stage.
BIOGRAPHY
A talented singer and songwriter with a flair for fashion, MIOU has previously achieved the award for the “Asian Top Fashion Singer of the Year 2011” in China, and has been performing worldwide on various international stages in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, US, and the Caribbean.
MIOU brings Japan to the world through her music, preserving and sharing the beauty of traditional Japanese culture.
While maintaining her own cultural identity, she fuses Japanese traditional sound with modern western beats to create an “East Meets West” crossover.
MIOU moves to the tunes of the Land of the Rising Sun, considering herself a “Singing Ambassador”.
OFFICIAL SITE
http://www.mioujapan.com/
Japanese food, shopping, music and entertainment are all vital parts of HYPER JAPAN events, and today’s events were no exception!
Nintendo once again brought a huge selection of playable games to our Anime & Game Park, and their special stage hosted events such as their “Which Yo-Kai is it Anyway?” quiz and demonstrations of games like Monster Hunter Generations and The Legend of Zelda – The Breath of the Wild! With fan-made Super Mario Maker levels being played for the audience, plus a Yo-Kai Watch art contest’s entrants on display and a Fire Emblem cosplay contest on Sunday, it’s a really interactive experience for game fans!
Our HYPER Live stage was full of exciting acts, from singers like Azumi Inoue and Yuyu, who wowed our crowds with classic Studio Ghibli themes, through to the electro-rap beats of Charisma.com, Broken Doll’s Kawaii Pop-Punk, and more. Not just musicians: We had dancer BANG showing off his moves as well! All of the acts mentioned will be returning tomorrow and Sunday.
Of course, part of the HYPER JAPAN experience is getting hands-on with Japanese culture in a way you can’t otherwise, and our Creative Studio delivered on that promise. From the ubiquitous paper-folding art of origami, to washi-bead bracelet making, otedama beanbag creation, kokeshi doll painting and putting unique Japanese-style stamp art on one’s own custom tote bag, participants were given the opportunity to indulge in authentic Japanese craft activities. Meanwhile, Mangajuku taught special classes to participants who’d never normally have the opportunity to learn with the authentic Manga drawing tools on offer, which they got to take away so they can keep developing their skills at home.
If you weren’t here today and missed out on all the HYPER JAPAN Festival fun, come and join us this weekend!
ASOBISYSTEM’s MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON project will be taking to our HYPER Live stage on Sunday 17th, on their mission to spread Japanese pop culture around the world. There’ll be a live talk session by popular Harajuku model Yuna Yabe, known for her appearances in Zipper magazine and elsewhere, so you can get to know a real Harajuku fashion icon in person! Plus, they’ll be collaborating with NHK World to bring singer Beckii from Kawaii.i as well as 10 other Kawaii enthusiasts in order to demonstrate Domobics and give a lesson afterwards, where each model will be participating in an ensemble of their own choosing! Inject even more Kawaii cool into your HYPER JAPAN Festival weekend and check them out on Sunday!
Torn-paper Fan: Chigirie no uchiwa
What could be more quintessentially Japanese than a paper fan? Especially one decorated using the chigirie technique, where pieces of paper are torn up and used to make pictures that in some ways resemble watercolour paintings. This distinctive art form has been practiced in Japan since the ninth century, often in conjunction with calligraphy.
“TIME AFTER TIME CAPSULE”
The “TIME AFTER TIME CAPSULE” project, created by artist Sebastian Masuda is a new style of public art in which people can participate by writing messages to the future and inserting memorabilia into a Domo-kun-shaped sculpture. Join in with the workshops where you can create your own Kawaii artwork and write a message to yourself in 20 years. The “TIME AFTER TIME CAPSULE ” will be opened in Tokyo in 2035.*
Don’t forget to take a picture with the world-famous NHK World mascot Domo while you are at the NHK World stand, too! Plus, experience the NHK World Video on Demand service and you’ll receive a ticket to participate in their Japanese Lottery Wheel.
Domobics
“Domobics” is a 5-minute exercise using simple moves from aerobics, it is a fun rhythmic workout with Domo. Domobics will be performed for the first time in the UK at HJ Festival 2016, so join in with the workout with Domo at the main stage on Sunday 17th July.
*Note that, contrary to earlier announcements, Sebastian Masuda is unfortunately no longer able to attend in person.
No proper Japanese table setting is complete without a “hashi-oki” rest or ‘pillow’ to lay your chopsticks on. These often come in amusing or intricate designs. In this session, you will learn how to fashion your own from beautiful Japanese paper or washi, which itself is recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage object, and comes in an array of dazzling patterns.
Dreamy Bows’ pop-up fashion shop will be returning to HYPER JAPAN this year, stocking everything you need to create your own unique head-to-toe J-fashion look! Dreamy Bows is a UK-based shop specialising in a range of cute Japanese street fashion styles including fairy kei, larme kei, gyaru, hime kei, mahou kei, pop kei and casual kawaii.
Their aim is to offer J-fashion followers in Europe a wide selection of unique and hard-to-find Japanese fashion and beauty items, without the fees and shipping issues associated with buying straight from Japan. You can find clothing and accessories from LISTEN FLAVOR, KOKOkim by Harajuku icon Kimura-U, pastel goodness from Chocomint, EYEMAZING false lashes and girly princess clothing by Candy Rain.
Also, be sure to look out for Dreamy Bows’ own affordable ranges of accessories, wigs, handbags and deco nails. And last but not least, they have expanded their range of Bandai Sailor Moon collectables! As the UK’s exclusive retailer of the Sailor Moon limited edition cosmetics, Dreamy Bows adds to their ranges as often as possible, and will be bringing a large selection of beautiful items for every magical girl, including transformation compacts, eyeliners, face powders, perfumes and prop replicas.
Official Site
http://www.DreamyBows.com
Tofu Cute looks forward to introducing your taste buds to new sensations and filling your world with colour! They’re returning to HYPER JAPAN Festival in 2016, bringing their large range of fun and fascinating Japanese sweets, and huge array of kawaii items!
If you’ve got a sweet tooth, you’ll love Tofu Cute’s range of tempting treats from Japan. Many people have heard of Pocky sticks, but at HYPER JAPAN Festival 2016 you’ll also be able to purchase the rarer and lesser-known Japanese snacks that are almost impossible to find in the UK.
Anyone who has explored the cute and colourful world of Japanese snacks will know the delight of sampling a product for the first time. There is extraordinary attention to detail; every inch of the packaging is covered in beautifully designed images and text.
We know it can be daunting buying a whole packet of something you’ve never tried before, so to sample a wide range of Japanese treats in bite-sized amounts, be sure to check out the Tofu Cute x HYPER JAPAN Candy Festival.
Also for the indecisive of you out there, we’d like to introduce Tofu Cute Lucky Bags, coming to HYPER JAPAN for the first time! Tofu Cute Lucky Bags are cute drawstring bags with a Maneki Neko (lucky cat) on the front, and they contain a random delightful selection of treats inside.
You can choose from either a blue coloured Snacks bag containing an assortment of Japanese candy, biscuits, chocolate and sweets, or a pink coloured Amuse bag containing an adorably fluffy range of Amuse charms, keychains and plushies – expect Alpacasso, Korohamu Hamster, Tuchineko cats and more! Both types of lucky bags are available at three different price points, to suit every budget!
Also look out for kawaii items such as Re-Ment miniatures featuring Rilakkuma, PomPomPurin, Sailor Moon and more, cute stationery such as pens, stickers, notepads and deco tapes, and bento making accessories that help you create the cutest lunch around! Tofu Cute will also be presenting kawaii Gachapon machines – the coin-operated capsule gift machines that are so popular and famous in Japan.
Official Site
Manga is ubiquitous in Japanese society, and comes in a plethora of styles – from kawaii cuteness to grotesque – to suit every imaginable taste. The unique visual style of manga is one of Japan’s most distinctive cultural exports, and at HYPER JAPAN Festival 2016 you will have an extremely rare opportunity to learn how to recreate the look for yourself, directly from those who have taught some of today’s most exciting manga artists!
A team from Nihon Mangajuku, which is one of Japan’s most illustrious manga training schools, will be travelling from Japan to attend HYPER JAPAN Festival 2016. In an exclusive workshop session, they will demonstrate key manga techniques such as inking with both brushes and the G-pen that is ubiquitous to drawing Japanese manga! As well as this, there will be instruction in techniques using black tone, as well as character design, and participants will get to use tools, such as the aforementioned G-pens and special manga paper, which are difficult to get hold of outside Japan. For those pursuing the dream of a professional manga career, who are comic artists looking to improve the strength of their lineart, or those who simply want to immerse themselves more in the modern culture of Japan, this is a very rare opportunity that shouldn’t be missed! Incidentally, mangajuku means ‘comic cram school’, referencing the after-school classes that many Japanese schoolchildren attend – another aspect of Japanese culture that you can experience only at HYPER JAPAN Festival 2016! Each class costs just £15 to attend, a massive discount compared to the 8,000 Yen a comparable lesson costs in Japan. Plus, you can get a beginners manga starter set for £10, which includes a G-pen, holder and 2 manga design worksheets you can keep and use for further manga masterpieces in the future! You can also pick up supplies like inks, copic pens, and more! Check out the video below for a (Japanese language) preview of the skills you’ll pick up during these classes.
Biography
Since it was established in 2000, the Nihon Mangajuku, a vocational school dedicated to Japanese manga skills, has produced over 40 professional manga artists whose work has been published by major publishing houses. These include Tomo Takeuchi, whose “Welcome to the Ballroom” was placed second in the coveted Manga Taisho award and Akane Shimizu, whose much talked about work “Cells at Work” has sold over 500,000 copies, as well as the well-known artist, model and actress Britney Hamada.
Times
Official Site
http://mangajuku.jp
NB: We have updated the price details to reflect the most recent information available, and apologies for any confusion caused.
Nintendo reveals full line-up of playable games, on-stage presence and a whole host of activities to get involved in at this year’s HYPER JAPAN
7th July 2016 – Following last week’s announcements of some of the activities which visitors to this year’s HYPER JAPAN Festival 2016 can look forward to, Nintendo UK today announces that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will be shown live for the first time in the UK, with daily on-stage demos hosted by Nintendo UK. Visitors can also expect live gameplay sessions of Capcom®’s Monster Hunter Generations™, DRAGON QUEST VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past and more – all taking place at HYPER JAPAN Festival 2016 between 15th and 17th July at the Olympia, London.
Nintendo’s booth at HYPER JAPAN Festival 2016 is set to offer a full line-up of on-stage activities for attendees to watch, and a packed roster of gameplay opportunities to experience throughout the three-day event. Those unable to attend will also get the opportunity to feel part of the action, as Nintendo UK will livestream a selection of on-stage content for viewers to watch at home via the Nintendo UK Twitch Channel on Saturday 16th July between 10.00 and 15.00.
Showcased for the first time at the E3 Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles last month, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild represents the next great boundary-breaking adventure from Nintendo. The game marks a new pinnacle for the franchise, and thanks to a daily live demonstration of the Wii U version of the game that was shown at the E3 video game conference, UK fans heading to HYPER JAPAN will be able to get a first live glimpse of this massive open-air adventure. Nintendo representatives will take to the stage once per day during the show to take visitors on an immersive journey filled with unprecedented freedom of adventure.
Fans of Capcom®’s Monster Hunter Generations™ can celebrate the game’s launch weekend by joining expert YouTuber Arekkz Gaming as he heads to the stage to show off his hunting style and takes on a local multiplayer hunt – live on stage! As well as being playable on the Nintendo booth, budding hunters can download the Monster Hunter Generations demo now from Nintendo eShop and bring their Nintendo 3DS family system to HYPER JAPAN to team up with Arekkz Gaming and other players locally.
Comedian and long-time gamer, Imran Yusuf, will also be heading to HYPER JAPAN, taking to the Nintendo stage in a bid to complete the very best fan-created Super Mario Maker courses. Nintendo UK is today challenging would-be level designers to take inspiration from HYPER JAPAN, as the courses created and submitted that are most in line with the tone of the festival will be pre-selected for Imran to play live on-stage with Nintendo UK, streaming the session live via Nintendo UK’s Twitch channel. Those keen to enter their courses simply need to follow Nintendo’s social channels and share their course ID in the comments section of the relevant post on Facebook and Twitter. All selected courses will also be made available for all Super Mario Maker players to try via the Super Mario Maker Bookmark website following HYPER JAPAN.
There will be plenty more on-stage activities taking place at HYPER JAPAN as Nintendo will host and live stream via the Nintendo UK Twitch channel a number of on-stage tournaments which attendees can get involved in, game demonstrations for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS games both out now and coming soon as well as other special activities. Some on-stage highlights will include DRAGON QUEST VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past, Rhythm Paradise Megamix, Splatoon and Pokkén Tournament. Nintendo will also be bringing to the stage special activities for Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, so be sure to bring your trained amiibo along to take part. Visit the Nintendo website for a full schedule of Nintendo’s on-stage line-up for HYPER JAPAN.
The full line-up of playable titles at HYPER JAPAN on the Nintendo booth can now be revealed as follows:
Visitors to this year’s event are encouraged to bring their Nintendo 3DS family system with them to exchange data with other attendees via StreetPass, as well as download demos of many of the games featured on the Nintendo booth. There will also be a special Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer amiibo card swap area, where visitors can trade with others to help grow their collection.
Presenting a prime opportunity to get creative with photography, Nintendo’s booth will also feature a unique amiibo photo stand, giving fans the chance to strike a pose like their favourite amiibo. Miitomo enthusiasts will have a chance to showcase their Miifoto skills by sharing their favourite snaps from the event to Nintendo UK’s Twitter channel during the event using #Miifoto #HyperJapan. The most creative and compelling Miifotos will be in with a chance to win a special Tomodachi Life prize bundle.
The Nintendo Official UK Store is also heading to Hyper Japan with a dedicated presence on the Nintendo booth, ensuring visitors are able to pick up a whole host of goodies. There will be plenty of special offers available across many product lines, exclusively available to those attending Hyper Japan. To celebrate the launch of Monster Hunter Generations™ the Nintendo Official UK Store will also be offering a 50% discount* on Monster Hunter figurines if you have a photo taken at this area of the Nintendo booth mirroring the monster’s pose. There will be plenty of other offers available including 50% off selected T-Shirts while stocks last, so be sure to grab yourself a great deal.
If you haven’t taken part already, don’t forget that Nintendo UK are currently hosting two competitions. The first is a special YO-KAI WATCH® Fan Art Contest, challenging fans to share physical or digital recreations of their favourite Yo-kai to win a YO-KAI WATCH® prize and have their masterpiece displayed on the Nintendo booth at HYPER JAPAN. Additionally, a Fire Emblem Cosplay Contest will give HYPER JAPAN attendees the chance to wow cosplay fans by taking to the catwalk on the main stage in the Nintendo area on July 17th. The top outfit will receive a host of Fire Emblem prizes.
From enjoying gameplay experiences, watching and taking part in on-stage activities, entering competitions, completing challenges and getting hold of special content, fans can enjoy a truly unique and entertaining experience at HYPER JAPAN Festival 2016.
To keep up to date with the latest HYPER JAPAN Festival 2016 news from Nintendo UK, visit www.nintendo.co.uk. and follow @NintendoUK on Twitter! Remember to use #HyperJapan during the event.
*On selected Monster Hunter figurines while stocks last
For further information:
Nintendo website http://www.nintendo.co.uk
Nintendo 3DS website http://www.nintendo3ds.co.uk
Wii U website http://www.wiiu.co.uk
Nintendo UK on Twitter https://twitter.com/nintendouk
Nintendo on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Nintendo
Wii U on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WiiU
Nintendo 3DS on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Nintendo3DS
Nintendo UK on Instagram https://instagram.com/nintendouk
Nintendo UK on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/NintendoUK
Nintendo UK on Twitch http://www.twitch.tv/nintendouk
About Nintendo:
The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii U™ and Wii™ home consoles, Nintendo 3DS™ and Nintendo DS™ family of portable systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has sold more than 4.4 billion video games and more than 693 million hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii U, Wii, and Nintendo 3DS family of systems including New Nintendo 3DS™, New Nintendo 3DS XL™, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo 3DS XL™, Nintendo 2DS™, as well as Nintendo DS™, Nintendo DSi™, Nintendo DSi XL™, Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance™, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™ and Nintendo GameCube™ systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as Mario™, Donkey Kong™, Metroid™, Zelda™ and Pokémon™. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of Europe, based in Germany, was established in 1990 and serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in Europe.
Virtual Rider are bringing their hot new gaming tech to this summer’s HYPER JAPAN Festival, showing off their immersive gaming and entertainment experiences! Their unique setup allows users to enjoy 360 degree action for games, movies and simulated rides, their unique 360° rotating platform that features climb and dive movement, left and right swing and rolling rotation for for a truly exhilerating experience. You’ll be able to find them in our Game & Anime area to give it a try for yourself!
1st PLACE, the company behind the Japanese artist born from VOCALOID technology, IA, is returning to HYPER JAPAN Festival!
IA’s voice source is “Lia”, a Grammy-award winning artist who has sung a number of anime theme songs. At her launch, IA won first place in the Amazon music production software rankings, and related videos now have over 100 million views online. IA’s full-scale launch as an artist was in 2013. Boasting the largest sales for a Japanese motorsports “SUPER GT” official theme song for the second year running, there was also a collaboration with the game “GROOVE COASTER”, the hit anime “Mekakucity Actors”, and a CD included with the last volume of the “Evangelion” Manga. In July 2015, the game “IA/ VT –COLORFUL-“ was released for Playstation® Vita, awarded first place in the Japanese “Weekly Famitsu” Magazine and ranking second on the Playstation® store. More than 47,000 people watched a live web-streaming IA anniversary event last year, and her debut live TV appearance on “IA-Chan” received a great response, trending on Twitter etc. IA’s activities aren’t limited to Japan: she’s sold out live events overseas, including a very popular stage show at last year’s HYPER JAPAN Christmas Market! Since February 2016, “IA 1st Live Concert in Japan -PARTY A GO-GO-“ has been screened in anime conventions and cinemas around the world. If you want to get in on the IA action, you can buy official goods from the 1st Place sales booth!
Sales Booth:
OFFICIAL WEBSITE
Ito Kagari Zaiku: Japanese Stitching
“Ito Kagari Zaiku” is a particular style of Japanese stitching. Using coloured thread, several (dozen) deft twists of the hand later, and what you have is a beautiful work of art. While its roots are practical, Kagari Zaiku has embraced its aesthetic side to where it’s now common to make Japanese “yubinuki” thimbles, hair accessories, earrings and other decoratives!
In this workshop, you will use a decorative stitching technique to create a colourful, intricately patterned ring that can be worn on a necklace as an unusual piece of jewellery. Choose your threads, visualise your patterns, and off you go!
Papier-mâché Doll | Hariko Ningyo
There is a great tradition of making dolls using papier-mâché in Japan, dating back to the Edo era of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. In this session, you can decorate either a daruma, the traditional good-luck charm rooted in Zen Buddhism, or a maneki-neko, the manically beckoning cat that is to be found in many shop and restaurant windows throughout Japan.
Embroidered Ball: Temari
These thread balls are quite mesmerizing, and once the technique is mastered it offers virtually limitless opportunities to vary and customize. With the help of pins, strips of cloth and thread are wrapped around a small ball to create delightful patterns. Traditionally given to children as toys, they also make original gifts for friends and family.
The Japanese have been making colourful “otedama” cloth beanbags for centuries. They can be used for juggling and a host of other children’s games, as well as being decorative and making excellent gifts. They come in all shapes and sizes, and in this session you will get to make a traditional beanbag using beautiful Japanese cloth.
© FELISSIMOTsumami Flower: Tsumami no Hana
Ever wonder how those beautiful Japanese hair accessories are made? Well, the answer is “Tsumami Zaiku”. A special technique in which small pieces of square cloth are manipulated with tweezers to create beautiful flowers and other shapes, Tsumami Zaiku is currently enjoying a renaissance in Japan.
A few pieces of decorative cloth, a deft twist of a needle, and the result is a beautiful, intricate hair accessory. What better to pair with your Japanese kimono, or even your favorite dress!
Starts at 17:15 Saturday 16th
