Dry-cleaning for Lolita clothes

I was amazed by an article this morning ‘Dry-cleaning service for Lolita clothes’(only Japanese)!! What a nice idea!!

I know their clothes are very special and sensitive that you hesitate to do dry-cleaning. Some people still think Lolita fashion is too unique and don’t accept them as normal clothes. Can you imagine your special lolita clothes will be treated by Lolitas who know the fashion? The article says some dry-cleaning stores deny to accept those clothes because they’re so sensitive stuff which have so many ribbons and sensitive materials.

In terms of business, they will spend some money for the clothes. It would be Win-Win situation.
Here is the price of the service.
Lolita package5
Open campaign price
5 clothes 10,000JPY (100 USD)
Normal price
15,000 JPY (150 USD)

Lolita package 2
Open campaign price
2 clothes 5,000JPY (50 USD)
Normal price
8,000 JPY (80 USD)

How to order
First time: Yamato logistic service will pick your clothes up to your home.
Frome the second, you can call Yamato, go to their shops or bring them to a convenience store.

Shu Uemura * Takashi Murakami new cosmetic announced by Cosplayers

When you do Cosplay, which cosmetics do you use? I guess most of them use your daily cosmetics. When you need extra or special make-up, you buy them accordingly.

Shu Uemura which is a famous Japanese cosmetic brand and Takashi Murakami who is a contemporary Japanese artist have collaborated to produce cosmetics which is called ‘6 Heart Princess (6HP)’.

You can enjoy the anime although first a few seconds are only in Japanese.

Here is the cosmetics based on the animation.

The theme of the 6HP is ‘Transformation’. The icon is illustrated by Pink and Black which means woman have 2 faces. Shu Uemura cosmetics try to express the theme by Anime and Cosplay which is from Japanese culture. The Christmas cosmetic box contains cleansing oil, make-up base, color cream, eyelash, jelly pencil, palet kit, mini hair brush and make-up box. The price of the item will be 1,470 – 27,300 JPY (15 – 278 USD).

Some Cosplayers have already done their cosplay at Comic Market Summer 2013.
6HP Comic Market 84

Reference: Shu Uemura and Takashi Murakami 6HP (Japanese only)

Cosplay event in a temple

When you hear ‘temple’ or ‘shrine’, how do you imagine the temple? I think the basic image is like this.

Japan is an exciting country. One of the temples in Japan which is called Ryoho-ji holds Cosplay events in the temple. First surprising thing is their home page. When I opened the website, I thought it must be any Akihabara shops. The truth is that this is a website of the temple.

Home Page: Ryohoji

Cosplayers who join the event can listen to Buddhist sutra with wearing Cosplay costumes. What a funny situation it is!!!

Japan is still exotic and mysterious country. A lot of interesting things happen everyday and everywhere.

Laputa Cosplay in desert island – Wakayama prefecture

I am so impressed that some Japanese cities are trying to invite more people by Cosplay events. They think Cosplay will bring more people and make the cities to be famous destinations for Cosplay. Now the role of Cosplay has been changing in Japan. There is a lot of great destinations who only few people knows.

Tomogashima, which is called Laputa island, and where is located between Awaji-island and Osaka bay becomes popular among cosplayers. The islands consist of four islands. According to Wakayama prefecture, nobody lives there. Some people go to there just only during sightseeing season. The islands were used for Japanese military land in Meiji-era. At that time over 600 military stayed there. Until end of 2nd World War finished, Civilian was prohibited to enter the islands. That’s why the islands keep the past landscape such as military remains.

The Tomogashima offers extraordinary experiences like Laputa: Castle in the Sky. If you’ve seen the movie, you could imagine the scenery so easily. When you go to the island, you can feel the Laputa. Some people says it looks like dungeon in Dragon Quest series.

Can you imagine if you can do cosplay and take photos there like Princess Sheeta and Paze?

More Tomogashima pitcures
http://haruna-jones.com/tomogasima.html

Original Article (only Japanese): http://www.itmedia.co.jp/news/articles/1305/14/news040.html

Hakone Cosplay Festa

There is a lot of Cosplayers and Cosplay events in Japan. Hakone Cosplay Fest is one of the indications that there is many types of events outside of Tokyo. If you have ever been to Japan, you would know Hakone as a famous city in Japan for a hot spring. Also if you were a fan of Evangelion, you must know Hakone.

The 2nd Hakone Cosplay Festa

Place:
Japan, Kanagawa-ken, Ashigarashimo-gun, Hakone-machi, Yumoto, 698
In Japanese 神奈川県足柄下郡箱根町湯本698
Hakone Yumoto Map PDF (both in Japanese and English)

– 3min on foot from Hakone Yumoto Station at Hakone Tozan Railway
– No Parking

Time:
10:30am – 4:00pm

Organizer:
Nihon-Genki and Cosplay Q (Contact)

They organize the event to vitalize tourism and boost Hakone’s economy. Not only Cosplayers and Cameramen, but also local people and foreigners who come to Japan can join the event! In the near future, they think they will provide the Cosplay costume to foreign visitors and do contest for Cpospaly event.

If you were in Japan especially around Tokyo, that would be a good chance to enjoy Cosplay event.

P.S.
English ver. HAKONE Instrumentality MAP is available here.
HAKONE Instrumentality MAP

Daily Cosplay Clothes?!

Cosplay is a special term. In your countries, some people know but other people have no idea what’s the cosplay. Yes, it also happens in Japan. Presumably Cosplay becomes a common word in Japan, but not all people know it.

One online clothing company has started selling some ‘Daily Cosplay clothes’. The sales copies say as below.
——————————————————————————————————–
When you hear ‘Cosplay’, you may feel it’s a different world term. Everyone (especially women) should have a desire to change. However if you seriously want to try to Cosplay, it would cost some money and have brave….then…. We’ve created Cosplay clothes which even cosplay begginers can wear it as a part of our fashion. Those clothes are based on fairy tales. Since we would like mature ladies to wear the clothes, we focus on the details, colour, quality and everthing. You can be a heroin in the fairy tale!

The more you collect, The more variation you have. Let’s try to fit with different types of heroins. You can do ‘Women’s Cosplay Party’ if you bought it with your friends!
——————————————————————————————————–
From those of you who are professional Cosplayers’ point of view, what do you think the costume?

The online company send the costume once a month for four consecutive month. Once you buy it one, you would need to buy the rest of them. It cost 9,800 JPY in month (roughly 80 euro and 103 USD).

From light, Alice – Alice in Wonderland, Dorothy – The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Snow White – Snow White and Red Riding Hood – Little Red Riding Hood.
haco. journal Heroins in Fairy Tales Cospaly

Personally if someone were wearing the costume outside, all Japanese would gaze at you…. in Japan.
Also my question is why all models are non-Japanese although they would like to sell them to Japanese….

Cosplay Train in Shimane

Sanko-Line where runs between Hiroshima and Shimane-Prefecture in Japan held a Cosplay event in the train. The train line has lost many passengers because the area of the population has been decreasing.

Reference: Chugoku Shinbun Onlinehttp://www.chugoku-np.co.jp/News/Tn201303110019.html

Professors in Hiroshima University organizes the event to promote the area.27 cosplayers from Hiroshima, Shimane and Yamaguchi prefectures enjoy cosplaying in the train.

That’s the great event. Usually we cannot cosplay in the train. I guess if they continued the events more often, some cosplayers who would like to use the train would go to the area.

Regulations for Cosplayers – Tokyo International Anime Fair 2013

I tried to translate some regulations for Cosplayers at Tokyo International Anime Fair 2013 which has updated recently. It may be interesting to compare to other Cosplay events in other countries. Although it does not apply to all of Cosplay events in Japan, It is a good indication to understand big Cosplay events in Japan. Most interesting points I find is that you cannot enter the venue with Cosplaying. It means that you should change your costume at the Cosplay changing room in the venue not allowed you to wear the costume from your home!

Original Version in Japanese: http://www.tokyoanime.jp/ja/visitor/cosplay/

Available time for Cosplay
Cosplay Area 10:00-16:00
Changing Area 10:00-17:00 (last admission till 16:00)
Cloak 10:00-16:00

* You may need to wait when the changing room is crowded.
* The cloak room is only available for Cosplayers.
Since the cloak area is available for all cosplayers,
we do not bear any responsibility to the individual luggage.
Please pay attention to your belongings on your own.

Notice for Cosplay
Not only people who love cosplay but also who come for other objectives on the event. Please be considerate of those people.

All Cosplayers must go through the front desk before you cosplay.

To enjoy Cosplay at Tokyo International Anime fair, you need to register. (500 JPY)
You cannot use the chanign room and cloak without the registration card.

We prohibit cosplayers from coming the the venue with cosplaying.
e.g. wearing wig, costume and cosplay make

Limitation for Costume
We prohibit Cosplayers from wearing a costume for some occupations who have a special authority. e.g. Police, fireman and self-defence official.

Please take into cosideration your costume especially when you wear an armor which may hurt others. When you move in the venue, please remove the parts to avoid hurting others.
Also please remove a helmet, eyepatch and mask which interrupts your sight, when you walk.

* You need to a person to help you if you wear the special costume which may interrupt your sight. The person you help has to register as a cosplyer.
* We may ask you an area you can walk and move if we consider your costume is too dangerous.

We prohibit you from wearing an overexposure costume or a costume makes other people unfomfortable. If you wear a plunging costume, please follow the front desk staff.

About an exposure of your costume
Tokyo International Anime Fair prohibit the overexposure.

Please don’t show your skin by painting yourself or wearing body tights.
Please don’t show your skin directly. When you wear a mini skirt and costume has a deep slit, you need to wear a stockings, tights or spats.
We prohibit Cosplyers from showing your underwear. Our staff will check your costume if it is suitable for the event.

About an limitation for cosplay, properties and fake weapons.
Please take care of those costumes because a lot of general attendees come to the event.

There is no limitation of the size of the weapon, but please pay attention to your weapon when you walk and move at the venue.
Only big weapon which can dissolve are admitted.

* The defintion of the big weapon is over hight 1.3m * width 60cm.
You may have a limitation depending on your size of the weapon.
Please don’t bring the weapon outiside of Cosplay area.
* There will be a place where you can leave your weapon.

Prohibited items
Real sword and guns and other edge tools.
Model gun and Air gun which can shoot.
Burnable dangerous objects or drastic medicine.
Ridable things (e.g. Bicycle and roller blade)
noisy stuff (e.g. whistle and radio casette)
Things which may make the venue/people dirty (e.g. paint and stage blood)
Other things the staff consider it’s dangerous

Others
Here is the notes within the Cosplay room/floor.
– You cannot change your costume or make up without the changing room.
– Please share the area and room. You cannot share a large area on your own.
– You cannot use the stage blood and hair spray at the venue.
– Please don’t play the weapons and take photos which men and women embrace/hold.

You can smoke only smoking area.
Please don’t leave your belongings at the venue.
We cannot be responsible for lost or stolen items.

Shooting Cosplayers
Only Cosplay floor is the area you can take Cosplay photos.
When you take a group photo, we may ask you a time constrain to avoid a heavy congestion.

Before you take photo, you should have permission to Cosplayers.
If not, it will be considered a spy photo. It applies to when you take a photo by your mobile.

When we find any voyeuristic behavior, groper and spy photo, we will call the police.
We allow you to take a photo and prohibit you from shooting video.

Please note that it is my roughly translation not official version. If you have any questions or concerns, please ask them directly.

Cosplay Camera

Don’t you need to cosplay because you can get Cosplay photo just taking a photo? No, I know Cosplayers enjoy cosplaying and want to create their costume, meet people and communicate with a lot of people. However if you don’t have enough time to do cosplay, you would have an alternative option here.

This is free APP. Let’s enjoy cosplaying on your mobile.
Cosplay Camera