As part of the ongoing Channel47 project, which uses the power of local resources and entertainment to share Japan and its local culture with the world, a new travel experience titled ‘DEEP EXPERIENCE THE INAKA -TENRYUKYO・IIDA CITY-’ is now on sale, taking visitors to Iida, Nagano Prefecture.

Iida City in Nagano Prefecture will be the location for the tour, with the city selected by the Japan Tourism Agency in 2024 for its ‘Project to Promote Expansion and Quality of Inbound Tourism by Providing Special Experiences for Visitors.’ The Minami Shinshu Tourism Bureau helped to create the tour for inbound travelers to experience the “real” Japanese countryside found in the Tenryu Gorge area of Iida City by funding farmhouse homestays in the area.

By creating a travel experience that takes advantage of the local resources of Tenryu Gorge in Iida City, we aim to promote sustainable tourism activities by communicating the charm of the region to people in both Japan and abroad, revitalizing local production, passing on traditional culture, and strengthening cooperation between local communities.

Tokyo Community Radio (TCR), an online radio platform run by Licaxxx, has announced a new event titled communities. The event will be held at Daikanyama UNIT / Saloon in Tokyo on June 30 and at Osaka JOULE on July 1.

The guest lineup includes re:ni and Laksa, two hot up-and-coming DJs and producers reshaping the UK music scene. The duo has a monthly program on NTS Radio titled re;lax, along with a party series of the same name. In February 2023, they released a new EP, Body Score, on their new label founded to explore music with faster tempos and to carry the torch of UK techno, jungle, dubstep, and grime. Each DJ is also active individually and the two have constantly been in the spotlight.

Music fans are invited to partake in this stunning musical event led by Licaxxx and targeted at the current generation of music makers as they extend beyond Asia and take their activities around the world.

re:lax (re:ni & Laksa)

Licaxxx

ZEROTOKYO, an entertainment mecca known for heating up Tokyo nights, is teaming up with ASOBISYSTEM to create an exciting new party! ASOBIZA, named after the origin of Kabukicho, will be held on April 28.

The lineup includes music artists as well as charismatic figures at the top of their fields in fashion, beauty, and art. Transcending musical genres and generations, this night will embody ZEROTOKYO’s concept of being a true “Entertainment Junction.”

Additional performers may be announced in the future.

The Mine City Tourism Association has announced a Christmas & Valentine’s Day event at Akiyoshido Cave, one of the largest limestone caves in Japan. The event will see the natural wonder illuminated by a number of colorful lights. The Christmas event will run from December 21 to 25, 2022, while the Valentine’s Day event will run from February 10 to 14, 2023.

Akiyoshido Cave is one of Yamaguchi Prefecture’s most popular tourist attractions. The interior will be decorated with colorful lights and unique soundscapes, creating a once-in-a-lifetime setting for visitors. These illuminations and sounds were directed by world-renowned lighting designer Motoko Ishii, known for her work on Tokyo Tower and the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge.

The cities of Hirosaki and Hakodate in Hokkaido have announced that they will team up with Hatsune Miku’s popular iteration Snow Miku to promote tourism in the area this winter. A number of activities will begin in December 2022.

[Snow Miku x Hirohako] Collaboration Project

■Hirohako Winter Tourism Campaign Poster Featuring Snow Miku

・Period: Mid-November~February 28, 2023

・Locations: Facilities in both cities, tourist facilities, hotels, shopping areas

■Snow Miku Illustration Contest Exhibition Event

Over 50 illustrations have been submitted under the theme of Snow Miku and Hakodate / Snow Miku and Hirosaki. These will be on display through the winter!

・Running: December 1, 2022 – February 28, 2022

・Venues: Hirosaki Municipal Tourist Center (Hirosaki)
                    Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse (Hakodate)

■Snow Miku Photo Spot

Snow Miku panels featuring shamisen and apples from Hirosaki will be on display, while the Hakodate version will include references to squid fishing and footbaths. 

・On Display: December 1, 2022 – February 28, 2022

・Locations: JR Hirosaki Station, Chuohirosaki Station (Hirosaki)
                        JR Hakodate Station, Hakodate Airport (Hakodate)

■Digital Stamp Rally Using the Mikunavi App

A number of panels will be installed at five checkpoints in Hirosaki and Hakodate. A total of 1,000 people–500 in each city–will win original merch including a Snow Miku mask case and decorated masking tape. All you need to do is check in!

・Available: December 1, 2022 – February 28, 2022

・Locations: (Hirosaki) Hirosaki Municipal Tourist Center, Hirosaki City Machinaka  Information Center,

                         Hirosaki Tourist Information Center, Hirosaki Castle Information Center, Tsugaru-han Neputa Village

　　　　　　(Hakodate) Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse, Yunokawa Hot Spring Footbath, Goryōkaku Tower,

Hakodate Green Plaza C Block (Hakodate Lumi-Pop), Old Public Hall of Hakodate Ward

■Hirohako Winter Tourism Campaign Theme Song and Music Video 

The tourism theme song will get a new music video that will be broadcast on YouTube, at local tourist facilities, and on TV and radio!

・On Air: December 1, 2022~

・Theme Song: Mahou no Keshiki (Lyrics/Composition: ryuryu)

■Snow Miku Welcome Announcements to be Broadcast at Tourism Facilities, etc. 

A one-minute welcome announcement by Snow Miku will air at tourist facilities!

・Running: December 1, 2022 – February 28, 2022

・Locations: Tourist areas in both cities

■Snow Miku Filters Using AR

When each barcode is scanned with a smartphone, Snow Miku will appear on the screen! Visitors can take pictures with Snow Miku to commemorate their winter trip to Hirosaki and Hakodate.

・Available: December 1, 2022 – February 28, 2022

A story-based digital GPS rally inspired by Chainsaw Man will be held within Tokyo’s subway system from November 1 until November 28. Fans of the anime series won’t want to miss it!

Participants will be tasked with one vital mission: to find five senior devil hunters who are currently undercover at subway stations around the city.

Participants will download an app from the special website and follow the instructions within to find stamp locations at stations throughout Tokyo. When they reach the designated location, they’ll find a special poster, and they’ll just need to press a button in the app to earn a stamp. By collecting stamps in all six locations, fans will receive a unique key visual which can only be obtained through this event. 

Pop-Up Shop

During the event period, fans will also find a limited-time pop-up shop inside Ikebukuro Sunshine City. Original collaboration items will be on sale, and a game will be set up with winners able to walk away with unique prizes. From November 1 to November 20, admission to the shop will be by advance reservation only on a first-come, first-served basis to reduce crowding. Reservations can be made through the official website.

©藤本タツキ／集英社・ＭＡＰＰＡ

HELLO KITTY SHOW BOX, a theater and restaurant offering Hello Kitty-themed shows and meals on Awaji Island, and HELLO KITTY APPLE HOUSE, an apple-shaped observation theater based on the popular character’s home, are both currently holding the Apple Halloween 2022 event until October 31! 

Guests can enjoy a mystery-solving event and some adorable photo spots inspired by apples and the Halloween season. By solving certain riddles, visitors will be rewarded with candy!

Come have fun this Halloween with Hello Kitty, friends, and family!

Started in October, the New Show ‘HELLO KITTY THE PARTIES’ Gets Rave Reviews

HELLO KITTY THE PARTIES, a new show at the theater and restaurant HELLO KITTY SHOW BOX, will run until December 30, 2022. The show features a new theme each month and currently features a jazz band.

October’s theme is Happy Halloween Party, and visitors can listen to a number of famous songs while enjoying tasty and healthy dishes packed with autumn flavors. At the end of the performance, a meet and greet with Hello Kitty will be held. November’s theme will be Hello Kitty’s Birthday Party, while December will focus on a Christmas Party!

The popular anime series Free! will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a special event at Saitama Super Arena on August 13, 2023. Cast members from the series, including Nobunaga Shimazaki, Tatsuhisa Suzuki, Mamoru Miyano, Tsubasa Yonaga, and Daisuke Hirakawa, will be in attendance. Free! -the Final Stroke- The Second Volume will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on April 5, 2023, and will include a priority purchase application ticket for the special event. Check out the official website for details!

The Free! anime franchise, which is loosely based on the High Speed! light novels by Kouji Ooji, began in 2013 and includes three TV series and multiple films produced by Kyoto Animation. The three anime series–Free!, Free! Eternal Summer, and Free! Dive to the Future–have been incredibly popular around the world. The first part of Free! The Final Stroke was released in theaters last year, with the second part hitting theaters in April 2022. Fans won’t want to miss out on the exciting 10th-anniversary activities in 2023!

©おおじこうじ・京都アニメーション／岩鳶町後援会2021

To promote the 2025 Osaka Expo, hundreds of drones and thousands of fireworks lit up the sky at the planned site for the event. SKYMAGIC LIVE PTE. LTD., known for creating original shows using drones, put on the show on Yumeshima, a man-made island in Osaka’s Konohana Ward on September 25, 2022. The event was the first large-scale outdoor drone show in the Kansai region, with 800 LED-equipped drones flying through the night sky. 

Nearly 15,000 visitors were in attendance at this spectacular event. The event aims to promote a hopeful future in which Japan thrives after the impact of the pandemic, and also aims to promote the upcoming Expo to people around the world. 45,000 fireworks were set off, marking one of the largest fireworks displays in Japan. Launched to rid the area of bad luck, guests will likely never forget the unique display of futuristic technology and traditional fireworks. 

As the fireworks show began, countless drones took off one after another into the sky. As many would expect, Myak Myak, the official character of the Osaka/Kansai Expo, appeared above the crowd, standing 135 meters tall and 80 meters wide. A countdown to the Expo appeared after, with the Let’s Go Expo 2025 logo shining in the sky, made entirely by synchronized drones.

Archived live footage of the event is also available. 

Ryota Shirahama, chairman of the event’s organizing committee, made a comment regarding the impressive event. “Japan’s resurgence is about to begin,” he said. “The world has been looking down, and we want it to look up. We want people to look towards the future–that’s the goal of this project. Yes, there was a pandemic. But like the phoenix seen during the drone show, we can start over. I hope that those who saw the show will be inspired to take a new step forward.” 

One of Japan’s best fireworks extravaganzas is headed to Singapore! Star Island Singapore Countdown Edition 2022-2023 will ring in the new year on December 31, 2022 at The Float on Marina Bay. 

STAR ISLAND is a futuristic fireworks show that blends traditional fireworks with cutting-edge technology such as 3D sound, laser lighting, and unique performances in a spectacular location. The first overseas presentation was launched in Singapore in 2018, and the second in 2019 drew 20,000 people. The show was also brought to Saudi Arabia in September 2019. 

This year’s event, the third to be held in Singapore, is expected to draw 22,000 visitors. Sponsored by JCB, the only international credit card brand from Japan, and Sanrio, a prequel show will run from December 25 until December 30 at the Marina Bay Sands event plaza near the venue. This is totally free to attend, so why not come check it out?

To celebrate six years of Pokemon Go, an incredible drone show was held during the Akagawa Fireworks 2022 presentation in Yamagata Prefecture on August 20, 2022. 

The presentation sought to get audiences excited for summer fun, with the phrase “let’s go on an adventure this summer” appearing in the air above the huge audience of 40,000. The Pokemon GO logo and popular Pokemon were recreated by around 700 drones.

Music from the mobile game played during the impressive show, as Pikachu and a 100-meter-tall Charizard moved across the sky. Alolan Exeggutor, Gengar, Wailord, and Rayquaza also appeared, creating a night to remember for Pokemon fans in the town of Tsuruoka. 

Pokemon GO Special Drone Show at Otaru Ushio Matsuri

The show itself was a surprise for the audience, with applause and excitement instantly palpable as it began. After the drone presentation concluded, the Akagawa Fireworks display began.

The Pokemon GO Special Drone Show was first held at the 56th Otaru Ushio Matsuri in Otaru, Hokkaido on July 24. Watch it in full above!

©2022 Niantic, Inc.
©2022 Pokémon. ©1995-2022 Nintendo/Creatures Inc. /GAME FREAK inc. ポケモン・Pokémon は任天堂・クリーチャーズ・ゲームフリークの登録商標です。 

A special event is coming to Tokyo and Osaka this summer to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Kuroko’s Basketball anime series. Fans will want to visit Tokyo in July and Osaka in September.

Kuroko’s Basketball is a manga series by Tadatoshi Fujimaki which was serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump until 2014 and tells the story of a high school basketball team trying to make it to the national tournament. The anime adaptation began airing in April 2012.

Kuroko’s Basketball ~A Miracle One Day in the City~

Kuroko’s Basketball ~ Kyoto Exhibition

Gallery Corner

Voice Guide

Admission Bonus – Invitation Card (9 varieties)

Exclusive Goods – F6 Character Board

Goods

Acrylic Stand (9 varieties)

Mini Acrylic Charms 1 (Random)

Mini Acrylic Charms 2 (Random)

Pin (9 varieties, random)

Purchase Bonus – Shopping Bag

The event will feature exhibits highlighting the history of the series and will feature a special voiceover. Exclusive merchandise will be on sale and guests will be welcomed by Kuroko and his friends at the entrance, all wearing special costumes drawn for the event.

Are you a Kuroko’s Basketball fan?

© 藤巻忠俊／集英社・黒子のバスケ製作委員会
© 「黒子のバスケ」アニメ10周年プロジェクト