Hey there, Japan lovers of Singapore! We’ve got some excellent news for you. From 29 September to 1 October 2023, World X Fest Japan Edition will make its huge Singapore debut as part of the Singapore River Festival!
If you didn’t know, World X Fest is an event that aims to unite individuals in appreciation and celebration of cultures, traditions, and artisanal crafts from all over the world. Far East Organisation and Travel Curators have partnered to bring it right here to Clarke Quay in Singapore; celebrating both the flair of modern-day J-Pop and the traditional charm of matsuri (Japanese summer festivals).
This year’s festival is set to be a unique blend of traditional matsuri with J-pop and anime culture. So, instead of classic Odori dances and folk songs, you can expect some huge J-Pop artists like Yayoi Daimon and Akko Gorilla to light up the atmosphere by performing hit music from your favourite anime like Naruto, One Piece, and Demon Slayer.
There won’t be any need for traditional yukata clothing either, as all attendees are encouraged to come in cosplay attire. So be sure to deck yourself out!
To blend in, famous Japanese cosplayers Nanase Meron and Yumaki will also be appearing, marking their first performances here in Singapore. The performers will be enacting a Japanese-style variety show live on stage, giving fans a chance to get to know them better.
Matsuri game booths will also be included with a twist, with the featured artists manning the booths at specific times to offer autographs and give fans a chance to get themselves some exclusive J-Pop merchandise.
Japanese food lovers, you guys can celebrate too because Don Don Donki will have several food stalls open at the festival selling items such as yaki-imo (baked sweet potatoes), kushiyaki (grilled skewered meats) and onigiri (rice balls) to keep your stomachs full!
Travel Curators will also be launching Tora-Q, an original yura-chara mascot for this year’s festival. Inspired by the shiba-inu dog, the maneki-neko cat, and Jizo (Japanese stone statues associated with safe travels), Tora-Q will represent the festival’s vision of uniting people and global cultures.
The festival will also hold a cosplay competition on 30 September 2023, where participants can show off their creative cosplay talent with their interpretation of Tora-Q! If you’re interested, register online here before 25 September.
Dynasty Travel, Singapore’s leading travel company, will be sponsoring the massive prize pool for the competition, worth over $25,000! But there aren’t just cash rewards; winners also stand to gain a unique pop culture-themed trip to Japan!
Even if you aren’t cosplaying, do be sure to come down on 30 September wearing shades of grey and red to get some special privileges.
That’s all we’ve got for you here, but for more updated information, be sure to visit the World X Fest website!
World X Fest Japan
Date: 29 September to 1 October 2023
Location: Clarke Quay Central, 6 Eu Tong Sen St, Singapore 059817
Time: 2pm to 11pm
Visuals Courtesy of Travel Curators and Far East Organisation.
