Photographs by Rosa Fairfield
I started to get excited when I saw people dressed in Anime costumes on the tube, and even more excited when a dude in the bag check cue started to mime a role play game with me. I'm a massive fan of convention style events and festivals, they're just a great way to escape reality for a while.
What is Hyper Japan?
It's the largest exhibition of Japanese culture in the UK. You can dress-up, see (and buy) all the latest trending products. Hyper Japan is currently celebrating 10 years. You can visit the Hyper Japan website for the latest Japan news and to learn all about the festival and for future ticket sales for upcoming events.
Shopping
The shopping areas were over two floors and divided up into two different sections. The bottom floor mainly focused on packaged food and Kawaii Plushies. I'm obsessed with the plushies, I've got a few small ones but I really want to own a giant alpaca plushie (anyone who know me, knows about my alpaca obsession).
The top floor had a lot of different work from artists. There was also sections with clothing (which, was heaven). I'm still regretting not picking up one of those fluffy jackets. It would have brought me one step closer to my goal of becoming a giant fluffy bunny. There was a good amount of stores and something for everyone.
Food
There were different food stalls in the upstairs section. The queue was pretty long so I decided to forgo this, but people looked like they were enjoying themselves. There were also various eating venues/cafes downstairs and an ice-cream truck, so plenty of options if you didn't want to queue.
Entertainment
A variety of different entertainment acts were on throughout the festival. I went on the Friday morning and got to see Naomi Suzuki perform a mini-concert. She's a great singer and this was a nice little rest-bite from all the shopping. The entertainment has to be one of the best parts of a exhibition, because you start to get a bit tired after a while and it keeps you entertained.
Decor
THERE WAS SO MUCH PINK!!! Did I mention how much I love pink? I loved the decor, there were lots of places for photo opportunities and it just made the whole thing look like you'd fallen into a fantasy world. It was exciting, so much to look at... the perfect visual playground.
* Tip *
I recommend leaving a whole day free so you can fully enjoy the experience, go with a group of friends and dress-up - you get the most out of it by fully embracing the culture. The entrance cue can get long, so be prepared for this.
SHOPPING