The next event will be on Saturday, March 1st, from 10:00 AM. The venue remains the same—Riccarton Park in Christchurch.

Advance Tickets Now on Sale!(Early Bird Discount: 5% off if purchased now!)

To enjoy all the exciting content, you’ll need an entry ticket.
Get 5% off when you buy before February 28th. Don't miss out—get yours today!

Get Your Tickets Here

Special Guest

Wataru Ohba

One of the most renowned manga editors in the industry, Wataru Ohba has discovered and nurtured numerous popular manga artists, including Kaoru Mori, who participated in Japan Fiesta EX 2024.
Join us as he delves into the secrets behind the global popularity of Japanese manga, offering exclusive insights straight from the industry’s production scene!

Wataru Ohba

Manga Editor at KADOKAWA Corporation (Manga Publisher, along with other departments)

1995: Editorial assistant at Sekai Bunkasha and took on part-time jobs as a writer at Rekka-sha.

1996: Began part-time as a manga book editor at ASCII (now KADOKAWA).

1997: Joined ASCII as a new graduate. Editorial team for "Weekly Famitsu".

1999: Editor for the manga magazine "Comic Beam".

2006: Conceptualized and edited the manga magazine "Comic Beam Fellows!".

2008: Launched the manga magazine "Fellows!" and became its editor-in-chief, managing over 80 featured creators with a team of just four editors.

2013: Renamed "Fellows!" to Harta and became its first editor-in-chief.

2017: Served as the editor-in-chief of "Monthly Asuka" until 2022.

2018: Participated in the creation of the booklet "Aokishi", a project by volunteer manga editors at KADOKAWA.

2021: Became editor-in-chief of the manga magazine "Aokishi", which inherits the concept and editorial style of the "Aokishi" booklet. Currently holds this position.

Ohba has a strong dislike to flashy manga where characters are killed off one after another, manga where massive funds are spent to create anime adaptions, manga where the authors resort to digital art for efficiency while generating large profits through merchandise, spin-off books, and low-quality game adaptations. Instead, he excels in creation of manga where every line of art and every word of dialogue is thoroughly thought of with care and precision.

Ichika Otuski

A talented manga artist making her mark in KADOKAWA's manga magazines, will join editor Wataru Ohba on stage for an exciting talk show while showcasing his live drawing skills. In addition, she will hold a special exhibition of his works and make a special appearance at Artist Alley.

Ohtsuki Ichika

2014: Debut with the short story "Rumors" in manga magazine "Harta" issue 20.

2017: Started her first series, "The Seasons of the Keyaki Sisters", in "Harta" issue 42.

2021: Began her second series, "Piccolina", in "Aokishi" issue 5.

Her first series, "The Seasons of the Keyaki Sisters" (4 volumes), follows the lives of four sisters living in a traditional Japanese house.

The story gained attention for showing how the sisters, each with their own unique personalities, work together to solve their problems.

After releasing several short stories, she began her second series, "Piccolina", where she tries a romance story for the first time.

This story portrays the relationship between a young yakitori chef (Japanese style chicken skewer) and a girl who works as a bunny girl.

Her soft drawing style and dynamic action scenes have earned a high reputation.

Revival Exhibition: 「Kaoru Mori Art Exhibition -The Works of A Bride's Story-」

At Japan Fiesta, we host revival exhibitions for those who missed the opportunity to see past showcases or wish to experience them again. This time, we are bringing back the "Kaoru Mori Art Exhibition – The Works of A Bride’s Story", originally featured at Japan Fiesta EX 2024.

Hokusai's Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji Exhibition

Kinki Fair

This time, we are featuring the "Kinki Fair", showcasing the specialties, tourist attractions, and traditional culture of the two prefectures and five regions of Kinki.

Tetsudou Musume - Railway Girls -

"Tetsudou Musume" is a unique Japanese character series developed by Tomytec (a subsidiary of the Takara Tomy Group). Each character is depicted as a female railway staff member, dressed in the official uniforms of real-life railway companies and engaged in various railway-related jobs. A distinctive feature of this series is that the characters' names are inspired by actual station names, train lines, and railway facilities. ‍
This time, Tetsudou Musume is collaborating with the "Kinki Area Fair", featuring characters representing different railway companies from across the Kinki region! Stay tuned for their exciting participation!
Beloved by railway enthusiasts and character collectors alike, Tetsudou Musume brings the charm of Japan's railway culture to life through its unique and endearing characters.

Stalls / Exhibitor

Japanese Tea Ceremony

Food Stalls

Artist Alley

Mini JAPAN DAY

Anime Movie Screening

The films scheduled for this event are "The Garden of Words" and "Porco Rosso." They will be screened on a large outdoor monitor. Enjoy these masterpieces while savoring delicious food from the festival stalls with your family!

HATSUNE MIKU Exhibition

This is an exhibition and sales corner by BMTNZ, a doujin group of 30 Japanese Hatsune Miku artists. Don't miss the chance to explore their unique creations!

Special Giveaway!

A chance to win a Sony wireless speaker!

Join our survey at the event for a chance to win!

Prizes:

- ULT FIELD 1 Wireless Portable Speaker (1 winner)

- XB100 Portable Wireless Speaker (1 winner)

Proudly Sponsored by SONY

Early Bird Discount: 5% off if purchased now!

To enjoy all the exciting content, you’ll need an entry ticket.
Purchase your Early Bird ticket now!
Get 5% off when you buy before February 28th. Don't miss out—get yours today!

Get Your Tickets Here

Event Volunteers Wanted!

Join us as part of the event team and help make this event even more exciting! If you're interested in becoming a volunteer staff member, sign up here, and our team will get in touch with more details.