Japan Expo is the place to be for all fans of Japan and its culture, from manga to martial arts, from video games to folk culture, from J-music to traditional music: a must event for all those interested in Japan culture and endless discoveries for novices. And only 30 minutes away from Paris! Mark your calender now! July 7 to July 10 only at Paris-Nord Villepinte Exhibition Center.

This event hosts many prestigious guests every year and allows you to meet them during signings, masterclasses or panels during which they unveil the secrets of their jobs and works. Japan Expo welcomes dozens famous artists: mangaka, animators, chara-designers, illustrators, video game creators, producers, musicians, singers, composers…: many of them take the trip all the way from Japan to attend the festival. Don’t miss the chance to meet talented artists and learn more about them. Among the latter, many bands, singers and musicians perform on stage. All genres are welcome to show how varied Japanese music is! Young talents and famous artists alike perform for you: J-rock, RnB, J-pop, hard rock, punk, electro… and anime and video game music. And as music has been part of Japanese culture since ancient times, traditional artists also come perform shamisen, koto, sanshin and many more enchanting traditional instruments. Japan Expo is the perfect place to try new things! Workshops and initiation classes are set up to teach you the basics of drawing, modeling, cosplay-making, or traditional activities such as ikebana, origami or calligraphy.
Video games are an important part of Japanese pop culture and are highlighted at Japan Expo. Publishers, guests and many associations take part in the festival. Many games are available for freeplay on the booths, and you can try the latest releases or participate in tournaments. Video game creators, artists and producers also attend the festival to tell you about games, their jobs and the industry on a dedicated stage. A perfect place to enjoy panels, tournaments and enjoy premieres! Japanese culture is fascinating in many ways, and its traditions are among its most amazing aspects. Japan Expo show you that side of Japan by highlighting its traditions, and by hosting artists and craftsmen. On top of music and theatre performances, and folk shows on stage, many associations contribute with activities and workshops, such as ikebana (the Japanese art of flower arrangement), tea ceremony, calligraphy, painting, traditional games, cuisine and more. With time, cosplay has become one of the most popular attractions at Japan Expo. Cosplayers come up on stage in breathtaking costumes of their favorite heroes, to perform on the biggest cosplay stage in Europe: up to 15,000 people come cheer them. Japan Expo also hosts the finals of the European Cosplay Gathering, and the French selections that launch every new season.
Martial arts are more than ever part of Japan Expo! You can easily discover a whole bunch of disciplines: an area dedicated to martial arts where they can show you their best moves all day long and where you can learn the basics. Ninjutsu, kendo, judi, aikido, karate, kenpo, kyudo, and many more: you just have to choose yours. Martial arts are not the only sports that the Japanese are fond of and Japan Expo shows you more, such as yakyû – baseball, the national sport in Japan – or puroresu, wrestling.
Fashion is unavoidable when it comes to Japanese trends and along with the coming of the Japan Fashion Days in 2011, it has more than ever pride of honor at Japan Expo. It’s a meeting place for fashion addicts who walk the alleys of the festival in clothes inspired from the fashion of Tokyo streets! Designers, and Tokyo fashion brands take part in the event with fashion shows, panels and workshops. Young European designers have also been part of Japan Expo forever, presenting their creations inspired from Japanese trends. Japan Expo is the first event in the world proposing a stage dedicated to cosplay: everyone can parade freely on the cosplay stage. Come admire your favorite characters as they come to life on stage and in the alleys of Japan Expo!Industry, stores, magazines, webzines, exhibits, institutions, associations and over 150 fanzines and amateur artists and designers: Japan Expo is the place for all the actors of the manga and Japanese culture industry! With booths full of Japanese products, new releases, goodies of all types, information about Japan, games and so much more, you’re bound to find something to make you happy in the alleys of Japan Expo.
Check out the line-up below for more excitement!
One of our headliner here is Psycho le Cému. Japan Expo is delighted to welcome a band like no other as 2016 Music Guest of Honor: Psycho le Cému are as famous for their cosplay costumes, their pop and hard music, and their theatre performances! Come meet this legendary group at Japan Expo, and attend their shows and panel!
Psycho le Cému is a next-generation leader in the entertainment industry. Cosplay is the keyword that most accurately sums up their unique character. Their costumes, which use motifs of anime, game, and movie characters, are unlike anything you see on other artists, and they’ve maintained the same stance on style since their debut. Their performance makes a powerful impression on anyone who sees it, and they’ve been a profound influence on other Japanese artists who came afterwards.
Their shows include a live band as a matter of course, and the members also personally dance and perform comical skits in keeping with their concept. Not limited by the medium of a live band, the result is a general entertainment experience, and the group has created a new genre all of its own, overflowing with originality. For overseas performances, the skit segments are localized and modified to ensure that local fans can understand the content as well.
Psycho le Cému is pushing on toward world domination. A nationwide tour starting in August,
“THE WORLD,” has been announced, and the content will be focused on material from the
“TOKYO PARALLEL WORLD” shows in February 2015, the
“TOKYO MYSTERY WORLD” shows in October of the same year, and the
“OEDO KARAKURI WORLD” shows held in January this year. Please check
here for more PLC’s 2016 Live tour details!
They’ll be at Japan Expo all 4 days, where they’ll be performing live, meeting you for signings and photocall sessions, and giving a conference! And there’s more for Psycho le Cému’s fans! Choose the Zen+ Psycho le Cému Ticket to spend some quality time with them! Just check at below table for further info. What are you waiting for? Grab your ticket at Zen+ now!