Japan Fest Leicester!

Leicester, UK – Sunday 26 April – Japan Fest comes to Leicester, offering a full day of Japanese culture, entertainment, and food at Mattioli Woods Welford Road Stadium, from 11am to 5pm.

Japan Fest Leicester is a family-friendly cultural festival celebrating both traditional and contemporary Japanese culture. Visitors can expect live performances, talks, interactive activities, cosplay, and authentic Japanese street food, all under one roof!

Live Stage Performances

The festival’s main stage will host a diverse lineup throughout the day, including powerful taiko drumming by Leicester Taiko, a Hatsune Miku tribute set from DJ Manimal & Cersina, and performances by J-pop artist LeLe. Traditional Japanese music will be represented by Aki Kitagawa on koto, offering audiences a chance to experience the elegance of classical Japanese instrumentation.

Anime fans will also have the opportunity to see Brian Beacock, a highly respected US-based voice actor whose career spans over 50 animated series and video games, including Digimon, Danganronpa, Naruto, Bleach, Dragon Ball Super, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Sailor Moon, and Sword Art Online. His work also includes major television appearances, theatre tours, and live musical performances.

Talks, Martial Arts & Cultural Demonstrations

Japan Fest Leicester will feature a programme of Japanese culture talks covering topics such as bonsai, sake, and natto, offering insight into everyday and traditional aspects of Japanese life.

Visitors can also enjoy a striking kendo demonstration by Gaku Shi Juku Kendo Kai, a Leicester-based dojo established in 1993 with deep historical ties to Japan. Their performance highlights the discipline, tradition, and precision of Japanese martial arts.

Interactive Activities for All Ages

Throughout the day, attendees can take part in a wide range of hands-on activities, including shogi, origami, Japanese calligraphy, Japanese language tasters, fox mask painting, and kimono try-ons. There will also be sake tasting for adults and a vibrant cosplay parade, celebrating anime, manga, and gaming culture.

Japanese anime-wrapped cars (Itasha) will also be on display, adding a visually striking modern element to the festival.

Japanese Street Food

A dedicated street food area will feature popular Japanese dishes from Oishi, serving takoyaki, yakisoba, gyoza, and bubble tea, alongside Food of Japan, offering Japanese curry, onigiri, and traditional snacks.