HYPER JAPAN Spring 2012

February 09, 2012

HYPER JAPAN is the UK’s biggest celebration of Japanese culture, cuisine and cool. It brings together diverse exhibitors, sellers, performers and fans to bring contemporary and traditional Japan to the heart of London.

HYPER JAPAN was first held at The Old Truman Brewery in October 2010, attracting 13,000 visitors over three days. The next event, HYPER JAPAN 2011, was held in July 2011 in the larger venue of Olympia 2, and both exhibitor and visitor numbers doubled, the later reaching 25,000.

HYPER JAPAN allows visitors to experience diverse elements of Japan’s culture in a single venue: modern and street culture, cosplay (dressing up as characters from anime and manga), games, J-pop, J-comedy, technology and fashion. In 2012, HYPER JAPAN is expanding in size again, and features highlights such as:

Live performances from singer and actress Natsuko Aso, the UK preliminaries for the European Cosplay Gathering and World Cosplay Summit, and a film showcase from Third Window Films with Japanese director Miki Satoshi and actress Fuse Eri. The HYPER JAPAN stage will also host Japanese street fashion shows, live music performances, and talks and seminars on a wide range of Japanese culture, traditional and modern alike. Visitors will have the chance to try out brand new Japanese games, including Cardfight!! Vanguard from Bushiroad and a brilliant selection of Nintendo gaming soft and hardware, too.

HYPER JAPAN is a unique event that offers something for both the dedicated Japanophile and those not so familiar with Japanese or Asian culture. It’s fun, colourful, diverse, and a great way to discover new and interesting trends in fashion, food and much more.

Drop by the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) stand at HYPER JAPAN to have all your Japan travel questions answered by our friendly staff. JNTO will have free Japan maps and brochures for you to take away and also free Japan anime maps, guides to Tokyo pop culture spots and Japan anime tourism guide books.  

Japanese Food & Drink Highlights of Hyper Japan will include:

SUSHI AWARDS 2012: UK Sushi Roll Championship
The only sushi championship in the UK, where the selected five talented sushi chefs from leading restaurants will battle it out armed only with their ultimate sushi roll, created especially for HYPER JAPAN. The winner will be decided solely by the 1,800 members of the public who will taste each sushi and vote for their favourite. Tickets available from ￡10

The first and biggest ever public sake tasting event in the UK, this exciting new event will give 1,500 members of the general public the chance to taste seven of the best sake coming out of Japan. Designed for anyone who loves sake or just wants to find out that bit more, get an insight into the life of a sake sommelier! Tickets available from ￡10

 * Original Sushi Competition 2012 - Enter to win great prizes!

The competition will be back this year, taking place for the 7th time. This much loved sushi recipe competition will be open to all. Entrants must use their creativity to create a new kind of sushi to be in with a chance to win great prizes. Non-ticketed event

This is the place you can eat, drink and discover new flavours. A series of 30 minute demonstrations and tastings will take place, led by a Japanese food expert and sake sommelier. The full programme of demonstrations and seminars will be published nearer to the event. Reservations on the day.

HYPER JAPAN will take place Friday 24 – Sunday 26 February 2012 at Brompton Hall, Earls Court, London. For more information visit the HYPER JAPAN website, Facebook or Twitter page. Tickets can be purchased in advance via the website.