[Japan Expo Paris 2024] Cosplay goes global?! Sneak peek into the Europe’s largest Japanese culture festival!

I will introduce you to Japan Expo Paris 2024, held in France. I will talk about the charm of the event and the atmosphere there!


Contents

  1. What is Japan Expo?
  2. Location & Access
  3. Ticket Types
  4. Exhibitions & Notable Guests
  5. Interactive Booths
  6. A Treasure Trove of Merchandise!
  7. Cosplayers from Around the World
  8. Popular Japanese Food in the Food Court?
  9. Disney, Harry Potter, Marvel, and K-POP Zone
  10. Bonus Track

1. What is Japan Expo?

Japan Expo is a festival initiated by French enthusiasts of Japanese culture, celebrating its 23rd edition this year. It features manga, anime, video games, martial arts, J-pop and traditional music, with appearances from popular Japanese manga artists and singers. The event will be held from July 12 to 14, expecting over 200,000 visitors. Since 2022, dedicated zones for pop culture outside Japan have been added, making the event more exciting and diverse each year!

© TOHO CO., LTD. / SEFA EVENT

2. Location & Access

The 2024 event is held at the “Parc des Expositions de Paris-Nord Villepinte,” located near Paris. It’s about 25 minutes from central Paris by RER (rapid metro) and approximately 12 minutes from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport.

Arriving at the huge venue!

3. Ticket Types

Japan Expo lasts four days. A 1-day ticket gives you access to the event on the day of your choice. This is the most common option, but if you want to avoid long lines and enjoy early access, opt for the 1-Day Ticket FastPass. It allows you to enter 30 minutes earlier than standard ticket holders. If you have the time and budget, there’s a 4-day pass. The Star Pass offers reserved front-row seats at the Ichigo stage and fast-track access. Ticket prices vary depending on the day and options chosen. Expect to pay around €25-34 for a 1-day ticket and €90 for a 4-day pass.

Long lines formed an hour before the doors opened.
The FastPass allows entry from 9:00 am.

4. Exhibitions & Notable Guests

Japan Expo offers many special exhibitions. Here are some of the most popular places:

Hommage à Buichi Terasawa:

An exhibition celebrating the 40th anniversary of Cobra, featuring Terasawa’s works.
You can also take photos with Cobra and Armaroid Lady!

Godzilla, 70 ans du Roi des Monstres:

A special exhibition commemorating the 70th anniversary of Godzilla.

Exposition Tokyo Revengers:

A special exhibition to enjoy the world of Tokyo Revengers.
Giant panels with France in the background
An accurate reproduction of Mikey’s beloved bike!
A message-writing area for Mr. Wakui

MANGA Plus by SHUEISHA:

A booth representing Japan’s renowned publisher, Shueisha
Photo spots of popular works, replica illustrations, and a wide selection of souvenirs
Chainsaw Man vs. Bat Devil
One Piece is also spectacular!

BANDAI NAMCO:

An entrance that sets your heart racing
Premium figurines
A wide array of gacha machines!

LE MONDE DE DEMON SLAYER:

The bustling Demon Slayer booth
An animated booth with a photo zone where you can rent costumes.

WEBTOON:

The WEBTOON booth, featuring a popular manhwaga, Kim Junghyun.

Artistes Musicaux :

The event had the honor of hosting the famous Tetsuya Komuro as a special guest.

5. Interactive Booths

Many booths offer experiences of pop culture and traditional culture. The interactive communication between exhibitors and visitors filled the venue with smiles!

Nintendo:

Play popular games like Mario Kart and Luigi’s Mansion.

Crunchyroll:

Take photos with popular characters!
The One Piece interactive area is also very popular
Train in Dr. Vegapunk’s lab…
Get commemorative items!

Tokyo Revengers:

Test your strength on a punching machine!

EN SELLE, SAKAMICHI !

An interactive area where you can generate electricity by cycling

Shogi/Go/Mahjong:

Areas where you can enjoy Go, shogi, and mahjong

BUDŌ:

A martial arts demonstration area

Traditions:

Choose and try on your favorite yukata

Otafuku:

The Three Musketeers with charming smiles
Taste okonomiyaki
Selling sauces, okonomiyaki flour, and spatulas. Currently collaborating with NARUTO!

Posca:

A POSCA booth where you can test out their pens

Photo Spots:

Popular photo spots for cosplayers

6. Unleash Your Desires! Treasure Trove of Goods

The venue was bustling with fans of Japanese culture, eager to get their hands on valuable goods!

GALLERY Panda:

Beautiful acrylic wall art
High quality that impresses even the original work’s fans

ENTERTAINMENT HOBBY SHOP – JUNGLE:

A wide array of figurines of popular characters

Sword Art:

Eye-catching imitation swords

Glénat:

Live streaming sessions on the second floor

Doki-Doki

Publisher booths where you can buy manga were all very popular
Free manga booklets available for trial reading

7. Cosplayers from Around the World Gather

Cosplay is so popular that it even has its own contest. Here are some of the captivating cosplayers!

Sha Jin, Robin and Sunday from Honkai: Star Rail
Kurama from Naruto
Anya from SPY×FAMILY
Yor from SPY×FAMILY
Xiao from Genshin Impact
Violet from Violet Evergarden
Yugi from Yu-Gi-Oh!
Creta and Ellen from Zenless Zone Zero
Cinderella, Anastasia, Rebelle and Aurora from Disney

Myaku-Myaku also came from Japan!

Myaku-Myaku from the 2025 World Expo in Osaka

8. What Japanese Food is Popular at the Food Court?

The food court, offering Japanese cuisine, was very popular, with long lines for takoyaki and curry!

Lunchtime was bustling with activity
Fast-serving onigiri sets were also popular
Tuna mayo onigiri & dorayaki

9. Disney, Harry Potter, Marvel, and K-POP Zone

Since 2022, a new area called “Amazing” has been dedicated to pop culture outside of Japan.

Disney Lorcana Trading Card Game
Photocall Harry Potter
K-POP PHOTOBOOTH

10. Bonus Track

It has been announced that “JAPAN EXPO PARIS IN OSAKA 2025” will be held in Japan next year. One of the largest Japanese culture festivals in Europe is coming to Japan. It seems that inbound tourism is going to accelerate even further! (Scheduled to take place at the Expo Osaka/Kansai site on April 26-27, 2025)

©SEFA EVENT

That concludes the local report on Japan Expo Paris 2024!

Panda, Chief Editor

There's nothing I like more than Manga. After working as an organizer and interpreter at one of Europe's largest cultural events, I eventually became the chief editor of "ComicAddict."

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