Cool Japan Showcase Anime Manga Tourism Festival Gears Up for Kick-Off
The Secretariat of Intellectual Property Strategy Headquarters, Cabinet Office, Japan, and Anime Tourism Association are hosting the Cool Japan Showcase Anime Manga Tourism Festival, set to take place at the Osaka-Kansai 2025 Expo from Wednesday, April 30, to Friday, May 2, 2025.
The exhibition will showcase 26 iconic anime and manga destinations from across Japan, offering opportunity for visitors to explore Japan. Exhibitors include:
- Sapporo Manga and Library Town Development and Utilization Organization, Hokkaido
- Iwaki Yumoto Onsen Hotel Koito, Fukushima Prefecture
- Gunma Film Commission, Gunma Prefecture
- Tatebayashi City, Gunma Prefecture
- Sanjo City・Chinokido Shopping Street DIY!! Fan Base, Niigata Prefecture
- Yamanashi Tourism Organization, Yamanashi Prefecture
- Hida Takayama, Gifu Prefecture
- Chibi Maruko-chan Land, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture
- Numazu City, Shizuoka Prefecture
- Kumano City Tourism Association, Mie Prefecture
- KYOMAF (Kyoto International Manga Anime Fair), City Kyoto
- Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Prefecture
- The Osamu Tezuka Manga Museum, Hyogo Prefecture
- Nijigen no Mori, Awaji City, Hyogo Prefecture
- Manga Kingdom Tottori, Tottori Prefecture
- Ube City, Yamaguchi Prefecture
- Tonosho Town, Kagawa Prefecture
- Kochi Anime Creator Sanctuary Project, Kochi Prefecture
- Kitakyushu Manga Museum, Fukuoka Prefecture
- Goto City, Nagasaki Prefecture
- Hita City, Oita Prefecture
- Haebaru Town, Okinawa Prefecture
- Seibu Railway
- Japan Airlines
- Sora-no-Ue Shopping Mall BENELIC Digital Entertainment
- Anime Tourism Association
Actress, singer, and voice actor Rika Matsumoto, known for voicing Ash in the Pokémon series and serving as a Cool Japan Ambassador, will open the event with a performance of her live songs. Other highlights include performances by anime song vocalists, voice actors, VTubers, and an Anime Song Bon Odori dance, as well as stage events including a special talk show with Minoru Kiuchi, Minister of the Cabinet Office for Cool Japan Strategy, and Enako, a Cool Japan Ambassador and cosplayer.
| Time | April 30 (Wed.) | May 1 (Thu.) | May 2 (Fri.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11:00 | Special Programs① Opening Event (Kiyoto Tsuji, Rika Matsumoto) | VTuber「V Café」Anime Song Stage (VTuber, VSinger) | VTuber「V Café」Anime Song Stage (VTuber, VSinger) |
| 12:00 | VTuber「V Café」Anime Song Stage (VTuber, VSinger) | Chibi Maruko-chan’s Hometown: Shizuoka City Stage | Exhibitors' Stage (TAKARAZUKA CITY) |
| Manga City・KITAKYUSHU MANGA MUSEUM with Maetel | 13th Takarazuka City Tourism Ambassador, Ribon no Kishi “Sapphire” (Ayana Ueno, Honami Katsu) | ||
| 13:00 | Iwaki Yumoto Onsen and the Merry Companions (Iwaki Yumoto Onsen) | V Station NAVI | Special Programs② Special talk session "Welcome to the home of Anime Manga" |
| Manga Kingdom Tottori Stage (Kitaro, Conan Edogawa) | Mitsuo Iwata, Hisayoshi Suganuma, Hitomi Mieno | Minoru Kiuchi (Minister of State for "Cool Japan" Strategy), Enako (Cosplayer) | |
| 14:00 | Kenichi Suzumura's Radibase (Kenichi Suzumura) | Anime “Uchitai I” and Hokkaido Fukushima-cho EXPO Special Live (2025) | TV Anime “Summer Pockets” Stage |
| SUMMER ROCKET, Fukushima Town, Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. | NeNe Hieda, Aimi Tanaka, Kai, Naoto Nakajima | ||
| 15:00 | VTuber「V Café」Anime Song Stage (VTuber, VSinger) | VTuber「V Café」Anime Song Stage (VTuber, VSinger) | Anime Song Special Live (Chihiro Yonekura) |
| 16:00 | Held every day! "Anime Song Bon Odori in EXPO2025" Anime Song Bon Odori Association (Ageha Bijo, DJ Marika, Tsukimi Tsukune and others) | ||
Attendees will have the chance to explore booths featuring anime and manga spots from Japan, enjoy participatory programs that promote Japan’s cultural appeal through anime and manga, and visit exhibition areas highlighting works that have won the International MANGA Award and global manga initiatives, including anti-piracy efforts and messages from manga artists.
Reservations for attending the event and ticket purchases can be made on the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition website. For more information regarding the exhibition, including event times and programming, visit the official website.
Source: Press Release
