From manga and video games to geisha and cosplay: The program of the HINODE JAPAN 2026 Japanese culture festival in Moscow has been revealed
HINODE JAPAN 2026 Unveils Full Program: Manga Legends, Cosplay Champions, and Geisha Take Over
The Japanese culture festival HINODE JAPAN 2026 has announced its complete lineup for October 2–4 at Amber Plaza, bringing together manga creators, musicians, cosplayers, and traditional performers for three days of events.
The festival's headline guest is manga artist Yumiko Igarashi, the creator behind the visual identity of the iconic Candy Candy and a key figure in 1970s shoujo manga. Her schedule includes fan meetings, autograph sessions, Q&A panels, and a live drawing demonstration on stage.
Manga creation and publishing will be the focus of a separate panel featuring Japanese artist Tori Soshi, whose work East covers cosmonauts and the first spaceflight, alongside Marina Privalova, creator of the Russian manga Tagar. They will discuss how manga is produced and published in both Russia and Japan. Tori Soshi will additionally lead workshops on manga artist tools and formatting drawn stories according to Japanese conventions.
On the music side, the project sajou no hana—known to anime audiences for tracks in Mob Psycho 100, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, and Ishura—will anchor the program with performances by vocalist sana, Q&A sessions, and autograph signings across all three days.
Attendees can also sing familiar anime songs with the choral anti-stress project HotHorist, with no Japanese language skills required. The musical lineup further includes video game songs performed by singer and musical actress Asya Shepri, plus a set from singer Kagebunny of the group ELEVATE.
A centerpiece of the festival is the solo cosplay contest Hinode Cosplay Competition, whose winner will travel to Japan to serve on the jury of the qualifying round of the World Cosplay Summit Japan. Japanese cosplayer Fran, a World Cosplay Summit committee representative and international competition judge, will join Russian judges on the panel. Non-competitive fashion shows will be available for those not entering the contest.
Japanese street fashion and youth subcultures have their own segment, with Russian brands presenting themed collections. TV presenter, blogger, and fashion and art historian Vika Chuma will join Japanese Russian-speaking blogger Hide Masui for a dedicated discussion.
Traditional culture comes by way of the geisha collective Miyonoya. Geishas Chiaki and Minami, alongside collective founder Oriya, will perform Nihon Buyo dances, teach attendees some movements, introduce ozashiki asobi games, and explain the art of geisha. Guests can also challenge them at the rhythmic game kompira fune fune and join a photo session.
Calligrapher and ink artist Hiroka will run workshops and live painting performances, including a blend of Japanese calligraphy and body art, and visitors can order their names written in hieroglyphs. The program also features satirical skits from traditional Japanese kyogen theater by the Moscow Kabuki Theater, bon-odori folk dances from the Kiseki-no Hana collective, and hosting duties shared by voice actor, blogger, and TV presenter Daniil Kaiturov and actress, director, and cosplayer Volhaross.
Samurai armor duels, sword and war fan dances will be on display, and a dedicated gaming zone will let visitors try new Japanese video games. A panel with Russian video blogger and IT journalist Denis Major will address gaming topics, and attendees can jump into Just Dance performances with no preparation needed.
Workshops will cover Japanese calligraphy, sumi-e style postcards featuring anime characters, and origami. Guests can also get an introduction to the Japanese language and build the traditional bamboo dragonfly toy. The ennichi zone recreates matsuri festival amusements, including speed bean sorting, Japanese jenga, ball fishing, and more. A traditional stamp rally will run throughout, with the fastest collectors earning gifts from the festival and its partners.
Food programming comes from the Niyama restaurant chain, featuring culinary shows and Japanese dish preparations, plus a special cafe serving ramen, onigiri, and other items. Across all three days, stands will cover Japanese language learning, travel to Japan, cosmetics, and more. Figurines, clothing, and Japanese snacks will be available, while a design market will offer original merch tied to Japanese fandoms and themed products from local brands.
HINODE JAPAN 2026 runs October 2, 3, and 4 at Amber Plaza, next to the Novoslobodskaya metro station. Tickets are on sale now via the festival's official website.