The Okinawa Collection Executive Committee has announced the first girls’ fashion festival OKINAWA COLLECTION 2023. The event will be held at Umisora Park in Okinawa on September 24, 2023. The first round of performers has been announced and pre-sale tickets are now available.

The event will be held on the picturesque sandy beaches of Naha, the capital of Okinawa Prefecture. The area is famous for its contributions to entertainment, and the show aims to share current pop culture with both audiences in Japan and the world.

 ■Several influential models are scheduled to appear!

The first batch of performers include Yuina Kogawa, a model and television personality; Nana Kato, an exclusive model for Ray and LARME magazines; Ariana Sakura, an exclusive model for ViVi and a model for many popular brands; Nagomi, who also produces the cosmetics brand “GENTY,” and PyunA., an exclusive model for the fashion magazine Koakuma ageha who is set to release her first photo book in August.

 ■Additional guests, including popular YouTubers, will take the stage!

Guests include the popular YouTuber duo Nakonako Couple, active both online and on TV; Mukuena, two childhood friends and artists with a popular YouTube channel; Toua, a current trendsetter; Osaki, a high-schooler appearing in the People category of the JC/JK Buzzword Awards 2022; Sakura, an exclusive model for Popteen; Mika Kato, an exclusive model for nuts; and Yuichami, the younger sister of Uchami and an exclusive model for egg.

■The trending boy band OCTOPATH will perform!

OCTPATH, a boy group consisting of former trainees appearing on the popular audition program PRODUCE 101 JAPAN SEASON 2, made their major debut in 2022. Guests can expect a mesmerizing performance!

More performers and content will be announced soon. Check out the event’s official website for the latest information!

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 popular female rock band BAND-MAID will perform for the first time at KNOTFEST JAPAN 2023, scheduled for April 1 and April 2 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba.

KNOTFEST was begun by the American heavy metal band Slipknot, and the festival has been held yearly since 2012. BAND-MAID will perform on Day 1 along with headliners Slipknot, Trivium, and MAN WITH A MISSION.

Tickets for the May shows to be held in the United States as part of the BAND-MAID 10TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR are none on sale. The group managed to bring in over 20,000 fans during their solo U.S. tour in 2022. In addition to performing at Pointfest 2023, Welcome to Rockville 2023, and the Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival, BAND-MAID will also perform six solo shows. With some venues selling out instantly last year, you’ll want to snag tickets while you can!

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.

From December 10 until December 25, the Light and Food Ensemble event will be held in the garden of the Kyoto National Museum.

A new projection mapping show featuring enormous flowers will be shown on the wall of the Meiji Kotokan Hall, unchanged since its opening in 1897. The history of Kyoto will take center stage, however–NAKED is only there to make it all the more impressive.

NAKED will also collaborate with Kojima Shouten for the first time, decorating the venue with the local company’s famous lanterns.

At the venue, local shops from Kyoto will be selling sweets to guests. Come enjoy Kyoto in a whole new way during this exclusive winter event!

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

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu inspired music lovers around the world in April when she performed at Coachella, one of the largest music festivals on Earth. The second half of the singer’s 10th anniversary nationwide tour 31-show has begun, and in conjunction with this special event, the LOCAL POWER JAPAN Project was launched to energize Japan through the appeal of regional towns and cities. As with past concert locations, a new collaboration has been announced ahead of Kyary’s June 23 performance in Okinawa, where the artist held an additional show. 

In Okinawa, Kyary is teaming up with the popular souvenir shop Okashi Goten, known for its Beni-imo (purple sweet potato) tarts. The shop itself looks similar to Shuri Castle from the outside, and as guests enter, they’re surrounded by products made exclusively from Okinawan ingredients. This collaboration pays homage to where it all began, with the special logo inspired by Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s 2011 debut mini-labum Moshi Moshi Harajuku. 

Fans will be able to buy a special box of these tasty tarts, with the outside stamped with ‘Moshi Moshi Beni-imo Tart’ and a drawing of Kyary inspired by the cover of her 2011 album. 

This item is now available at all shops offering Okashi Goten products and at the Okashi Goten online store.

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu has made waves around the world since performing at Coachella, one of the world’s largest music festivals, in April. 

Currently embarking on the second half of her 10th anniversary 31-show nationwide tour, the singer is gaining momentum as she aims for her solo concert at Nippon Budokan in October. As part of her tour, the singer has continued to energize Japan through the appeal of regional towns and cities with the LOCAL POWER JAPAN Project. At each tour location, the artist collaborates with a local company, creating special collaboration logos and products that have become the talk of social media. Details of Kyary’s collab project in Nagasaki have been revealed after the artist performed in the prefecture on July 18.

In Nagasaki, the artist will collaborate with Hamburger Shop Hikari, a beloved local restaurant that originally opened in 1951. Sasebo burgers are well known in Japan, and all ingredients are sourced from Sasebo City in Nagasaki. These burgers are much larger than the burgers you may be used to and have become a local delicacy throughout the country.

After the war, a U.S. military base was established in Sasebo. The recipe for the Sasebo burger is said to have originated from a recipe found on this base in the 1950s. The collaboration with Hamburger Shop Hikari, known as the origin of these famous burgers, pays tribute to Kyary’s new single Maybe Baby. The adorable visual shows a waitress at the shop delivering tasty burgers in a hurry.

A collaborative T-shirt is also on sale featuring the new logo and the singer’s 10th-anniversary logo. The shirt is available on the LOCAL POWER JAPAN Project website for two weeks only starting July 17, so grab one while you can.

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