J-Pop Festival 2013
Japantown & New People host one of the country’s biggest J-Pop culture events of the year with the 2013 J-Pop Summit Festival, a two-day event taking place July 27- 28, 2013 for more than 60,000 people.
J-Pop Summit Festival
July 27-28, 2013 | 11 am-6 pm
Japantown Peace Plaza, SF
FREE (most outdoor events are free)Please note the event takes place in July 2013, not August as was previously listed.
This one of a kind event will feature the best in modern Japanese films, fashion, music art, retail design, and pop culture all weekend long. Enjoy everything from dance performances to anime exhibitions, as well as food trucks, specialty vendors, and more.
- Harajuku Fashion Show – Saturday, July 27th at 1:15 pm on the Main Pagoda Stage
- Pocky Eating Contest – Sunday at 2:30 pm
- J-Pop Idol – Saturday at 3 pm
- Live Japanese Illustration – Legendary artists Katsuya Terada will do a live freehand drawing from 4 to 6 pm on a blank wall in the 1st floor of the Kinokuniya Bookstore, located inside the Kinokuniya Shopping Mall
- Harajuki pop-up fashion boutique – Grand opening at noon on Saturday inside New People
Most of the general festival is free to attend including the fashion shows and the live bands on both days.
Saturday, July 27, 2013 Schedule
Japantown Peace Plaza
- 11 am: Opening Ceremony: Sake Barrel Breaking
- 11:30 am: Music: DAICHI
- 11:45 am: Vocaloid Dance Contest: Solo Competition
- 1 pm: Special Guest: Film Director Miwa Nishikawa
- 1:15 pm: Harajuku Kawaii!! Fashion Show – The dynamic fashion show will feature a number of popular Japanese models including Ayumi Seto, Yura, and Saki Sato
- 2:15 pm: Music: Kylee
- 3 pm: J-Pop Idol 2013
- 4 pm: Music: The Akabane Vulgars On Strong Bypass (Japanese girl punk)
- 5 pm: Music: SWEETY
- 5:15 pm: Music: LoVendoЯ
Pop Gourmet Food Festival (Post & Webster)
- Food trucks, Sake tasting ($5), periodic short lectures on the history of sake by the Japanese Consulate General, and beverages
Post Street – 50 vendors selling anime, pop culture collectibles, clothing, and other fun stuff
- UNIQLO Pop-Up
- Sega “Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA F” Tent
- Mitsubishi Motors Exhibition
- Kinokuniya Bookstore Tent
- Bazaar Bizarre: Animation on Display
New People Tent
- 2:45 pm Meet & Greet: Kylee
- 4:45 pm Meet & Greet: The Akabane Vulgars On Strong Bypass
Sunday, July 28, 2013 Schedule
Japantown Peace Plaza
- 11 am: BABY, The Stars Shine Bright Fashion Contest
- 12 pm: Music: DAICHI
- 12:45 pm: Vocaloid Dance Contest: Group Competition
- 1:30 pm: Special Guest: Architect Kyohei Sakaguchi
- 2 pm; CAL Raijin Taiko Drum Performance
- 2:30 pm: Pocky Eating Contest – Watch people inhale seven boxes of Pocky (yummy Japanese chocolate dipped biscuit sticks)
- 3 pm: Music: Slime Girls
- 5 pm: Cosplay Masquerade
Union Square
J-pop fashion icon, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, Sony Music Japan star, Kylee, the human beat box phenomenon, DAICHI, and a 4-piece girl rock band LoVendoЯ led by Reina Tanaka (a former star of “Morning Musume”) will have a special live performance on Sunday, July 28, 2013 starting at 2 pm. This program is presented in partnership with Union Square Live.
- 2 pm: Kylee
- 2:30 pm: LoVendoЯ
- 3 pm: DAICHI (human beat box phenomenon)
- 3:30 pm: Kyary Pamyu Pamyu (one of the biggest Japanese pop stars in Asia performing over-the-top techo pop)
Pop Gourmet Food Festival (Post & Webster)
- Food trucks, Sake tasting ($5), periodic short lectures on the history of sake by the Japanese Consulate General, and beverages
Post Street – 50 vendors selling anime, pop culture collectibles, clothing and other fun stuff
- UNIQLO Pop-Up
- Sega “Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA F” Tent
- Green Mobile House D.I.Y. Workshop
- Mitsubishi Motors Exhibition
- Kinokuniya BookStore Tent
- Bazaar Bizarre: Animation on Display
New People’s Tent
- 3:45 pm: Meet & Greet: Slime Girls
