Immerse Yourself in Modern Japan at the Nipponbashi Street Festa 2019 in Osaka!

Taking place for the first time in 2005 in Nipponbashi – also known as Den Den Town (‘electric street’) and arguably Osaka’s (humbler) answer to Tokyo’s Akihabara district, this year will see the 15^th revival of the exciting Nipponbashi Street Festa.

The festival was first started as an attempt to revive the local shopping arcade, by drawing on the heavy influence and impact of Japanese pop culture (anime, manga, gaming etc.). Today, the festival is one of the biggest cosplay events in the country, seeing more than 200,000 visitors annually.

Image courtesy of hydlide

Vocabulary

Cosplay: ‘costume play’ – the act, or pastime of dressing up as specific characters, often associated with Japanese animation, manga and/or video game characters.

Otaku: a Japanese word to describe a person commonly referred to as a ‘geek’, however specifically with regards to the obsession with Japanese anime, manga or video gaming.Image courtesy of hydlide

What Happens?

The main road of Nipponbashi will be closed to traffic to make room for an immense street parade featuring people from all over the world, dressed in a variety of cosplay styles.

The fantastic opening ceremony will feature famous cosplayers. They are renowned for the intricacy of their costumes and uncanny resemblance to the characters they are portraying.

On the day, the shops of the Nipponbashi area will be full of special offers, discounts, and one-off bargains, making it the perfect chance for tourists on a strict travel itinerary to bag some authentic Japanese pop culture products for a far cheaper price than they would be able to find back home.Image courtesy of hydlide

Interesting Facts About the Festival

Except for the opening ceremony, visitors are also able to join in!

Furthermore, the winners of the French cosplay competition from the 2018 Japan Expo (held in Paris) will also be present at the festival, collaborating with the Japanese cosplayers.
Cosplay is becoming an increasingly popular pastime outside of Japan. And as such, the number of non-Japanese participants in the festival is increasing every year.Image courtesy of hydlide

Information and Advice for Spectators

If you wish to participate in the parade itself, it is essential that you purchase the parade pass in advance. See Further Details below for more information.

It’s also important to note that there is a cap of 500 on the number of people who can participate. So, I’d urge you to buy well in advance to avoid disappointment. Image courtesy of hydlide

Tourist Information About the Region

Due to Japan’s rapid economic growth during the 1960s, the Nipponbashi area – initially developed after the second world war as a place to purchase radios and other electrical devices – was home to no less than 6 large electrical device retail stores.

From the 1980s, the entire market began to be monopolized by a couple of larger giants. Meaning a lot of the smaller stores either closed entirely or turned their business towards the recent boom in manga and anime related products.

Nowadays, Nipponbashi is known as a kind of western Akihabara. Here all otaku and likeminded people flock to in great numbers to purchase or simply immerse themselves in Japan’s still thriving ‘geek culture’.

The area is also home to a number of Japan’s controversial maid cafes. You will see advertised by usually young women and teenage girls wearing traditional western housemaid outfits.

Nipponbashi is also conveniently located, with easy access by subway to various of Osaka’s other sightseeing hotspots, including Dotombori, Shinsaibashi & Namba (all close tougher and great for a more unique shopping experience) as well as the Kuromon food market.Image courtesy of hydlide

Details and Access

Date & time: Saturday 9^th March 2019, 12:00 – 15:00

Further details:

Parade pass:

3,000 JPY (including tax plus a wrist band & badge as proof of participation)
Available to purchase as of the 18^th December 2018
Cap set at 500 persons.
Where to purchase: 1^st floor counter of Animate Osaka, Nipponbashi

Place: Nipponbashi Arcade (‘Den Den town’)

Address: Naniwa, Osaka

Official website (Japanese only): http://nippombashi.jp/festa/

Access:

The parade takes place in front of Emi Susumacho Subway Station on Sakaisuji Subway Line. It is a 5 – 10-minute walk from Namba Station, Nankai Namba Station and Kintetsu Nanba Station. About 20-minute walk from JR Namba Station.

Image courtesy of hydlide

Closing Remarks

Much of Japanese culture revolves around its history – particularly its ancient, spiritual past. The sudden boom in economic growth that Japan saw in the 1960s, however, gave immediate rise to a new kind of culture – that of modernity. And not simply in the sense of new inventions and changes in the cityscape. But an entire culture centered around the people who inhabited these vast concrete jungles. It is, of course, pop culture of which I am speaking.

When we hear words like cosplay and otaku, we probably think of Tokyo – its dazzling districts and its never-fading lights – the rest of Japan being ‘othered’ in our minds, perhaps reserved for the aforementioned older, more historical aspect of what the country stands for. But this is not entirely the case. As Japan’s second largest city, Osaka is a positive melting pot. Here the two polar opposites of past and present intermingle in a harmony that – on albeit a less intense scale than in Tokyo – cannot be described as anything but delightful. Having lived there for four years myself, I speak from experience.

An Ultimate Idea Source for Your Osaka Stay!

Being the third largest city in the country, Osaka is one of the major gateways of Japan. Even if it is not the main place of your destination, it would be a great idea to stay in this great city for a few days. Whether you want to go sightseeing, shopping, eating out, or trying something special that you can experience only in Japan, Osaka has it all and even something extra. In the following article, you will find 100 things to do in Osaka and many ideas on how to spend your time in the city!

Please, have a look, URL: https://festivalgo.huber-japan.com/events/events/100-things-osaka-sightseeing-spots-traditional-japanese-events

See More Osaka Spring Events and Festivals This Year!

Are you planning on visiting Osaka this spring? Would you like to see Osaka spring events and festivals this year? There are so many things to see and to do in Osaka including hanami (cherry blossom viewing), street festivals, and more! Osaka offers great food, great entertainments, friendly funny people, and a mix of historical and modern sites! The following article picked up the most popular spring events and festivals in Osaka this year! Please take a look!

URL: https://festivalgo.huber-japan.com/events/events/popular-osaka-spring-events-festivals

Would You Like to Know How to Enjoy a Japanese Festival Even More?

A lot of people when they get to a Matsuri for the first time feel a bit lost. They confuse about what is happening around. If you are new to Japanese Festivals or want to know an alternative way of how you can enjoy these events, the following article will provide you with a set of helpful tips on how to choose a proper festival and activities you should try there. Please don`t hesitate to take a look at it!

URL: https://festivalgo.huber-japan.com/events/5363/

Don’t Stay Hungry at the Festival!

Image courtesy of Tomomarusan

For all foodies who enjoy Japanese Festivals would be nice to get acquainted with the rich choice offered by Yatai (Japanese festival food stalls). The food presented during Matsuri is pretty different from the one you get at the restaurants in Japan. Besides, there is a certain charm in grabbing some snack from a food stall and diving back into the festival crowd. I am sure that you will discover something new about Japanese festival food from the following article!

URL: https://festivalgo.huber-japan.com/events/5504/