Written by Amanda David
Don’t miss Hyper Japan — a huge cultural festival featuring music, anime, cosplay, fashion, food, and lots more from Japan. The event plays host to over 350 different exhibitors, and takes place over a three-day weekend.
Tickets to Hyper Japan
With the event running from Friday, July 18th to Sunday, July 20th, you can buy tickets for one, two or all three days; children aged 10 and under go free, but do still need a ticket. Add-on tickets for workshops are also available to purchase in advance.
Cheapo Top Tip: Download a floor guide from their website to plan your day.
Food
Over the weekend, Hyper Japan will be home to the most authentic Japanese cuisine you can get your hands on in London, including the likes of Japanese rice bowls, takoyaki, yakisoba, traditional sweets, sashimi, and scallops, along with milk teas and authentic Japanese cakes and pastries.
There will also be some fusion food on offer — how about noritacos, a blend of Japanese cuisine and South American street food?
Sake
Sadly 2024’s popular Sake Street experience will not be returning for 2025 but there will be several exhibitors offering sake tastings, one of whom will be providing guided tasting sessions.
Anime and J-pop
The weekend is packed with incredible Japanese performers; confirmed so far are Miura Ayme, Hitsujibungaku, Ai Higuchi and Marasy. You can also buy Meet & Greet tickets to meet your idol. You can check the stage timetable to make sure you don’t miss a thing. If you want to show off your own skills, visit the karaoke booth and select your fave Japanese pop songs to sing along to.
Anime, and more recently manga, is hugely popular in the UK and there will be original artwork on display for art enthusiasts to enjoy.
Workshops
There is a huge variety of workshops to attend at Hyper Japan, including ikebana, origami, kintsugi, calligraphy, furoshiki and even a manga workshop. Book your tickets in advance on the website.
Gaming
There will be plenty for gamers to do too, including rediscovering favourite retro games as well as trying brand-new titles, including the latest from Japanese gaming giant Bandai Namco. Visitors can enjoy taking photos with famous gaming characters.
Finally, a Japanese fashion show and cosplay contest will take place on both the Saturday and Sunday.
How to get to Hyper Japan
The nearest tube station is Kensington Olympia which is on the Overground Line, and the District Line at weekends. Enter via the National Hall building and exit via the Grand Hall.
Organisers may cancel events, alter schedules, or change admission requirements without notice. Always check official sites before heading to an event.Add to Calendar
- 128 m from Kensington (Olympia) London OvergroundDistrict Line
- 0.7 km from West Kensington District Line
- 0.7 km from Barons Court Piccadilly LineDistrict Line
