HYPER JAPAN London 2010 is a brand new pop culture event showcasing the very best of contemporary Japan, will be held in London¡Çs Brick Lane from Friday 1 to Sunday 3 October 2010. With everything from Harajuku street fashion to sake seminars, the event has something for everyone who is a fan of Japanese culture. It will also feature the Eat-Japan Food Court, where leading Japanese restaurants and food and drink brands will be selling delicious, authentic dishes.

The event has been launched to meet the growing demand for Japanese pop culture and to make the latest Japanese trends more available in the UK. Hyper Japan 2010 will welcome voice actresses from Tantei Opera Milky Holmes, an anime/video game sensation in Japan. They will perform live on stage on Saturday, 2 October - a real treat for anime fans in the UK.

Misako Aoki, chosen by Japan¡Çs Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2009 to be a 'Kawaii Taishi', or Ambassador of Cute, will also be at the event as part of its exclusive fashion and makeover show, HYPER STYLE A GO GO, organised in collaboration with KERA magazine. HYPER STYLE A GO GO will take place on both Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 October, and Misako will be joined on stage by our volunteer models - the winners of our competition to find models to be made over by some of Japan¡Çs leading punk and Lolita fashion brands. Other highlights include three brilliant cosplay shows and a 'Sushi Challenge' where you can pick up some tips from a real sushi expert.

HYPER JAPAN London 2010 will be a gathering of diverse contents from Japanese and local businesses, designed to showcase just how exciting and inspirational Japan¡Çs modern culture has become. Whether you want to try out some street food, drink a Japanese beer or two, learn about sake at a tutored tasting, load up on cutesy goods, or get hold of the latest merchandise from your favourite anime or manga, HYPER JAPAN will have something that you love - and a lot more for you to discover.

Yukiko Takahashi
Cross Media