Japan Tours Festival

Eleven Years of Japanese Culture in Tours

Created in 2015, the Japan Tours Festival has become in a decade the largest festival dedicated to Japan and pop culture in the Centre-Val de Loire region. Every year in late June or early July, the Parc des Expositions de Tours transforms into a true Japanese district, welcoming over 25,000 visitors over three days.

A Rich and Eclectic Program

The Japan Tours Festival covers all aspects of Japanese and geek culture. The Tradition area highlights traditional Japanese arts: calligraphy, origami, ikebana, tea ceremony, martial arts, and Japanese cuisine. The Manga area hosts authors, publishers, and illustrators for signing sessions and conferences. The Cosplay area offers contests, costume-making workshops, and photo shoots. The Gaming and E-sport areas bring together consoles, arcade machines, tournaments, and competitions.

Prestigious Guests

Each edition welcomes guests from Japan and around the world: mangakas, anime directors, voice actors, musicians, martial artists, and pop culture personalities. Signing sessions, conferences, and masterclasses allow fans to meet their favorite artists in a privileged setting.

The French Cosplay Cup

The festival is the setting for the French Cosplay Cup, whose grand final annually brings together dozens of cosplayers from all over France. The best candidates present their costumes and performances on the main stage before a jury of experts and several thousand spectators.

Gastronomy and Japanese Atmosphere

The catering area offers a culinary immersion in Japan: ramen, takoyaki, onigiri, gyoza, mochi, taiyaki, and Japanese drinks. Merchant stands offer manga, figurines, clothing, accessories, and merchandise from Japanese pop culture. The atmosphere is festive and colorful, with cosplayers strolling through the aisles and J-pop and J-rock music playing in the background.