SMASH Cosplay 2013

The SMASH 2013 is over, it was on yesterday at Sydney Convention Centre, Darling harbour.

I didn't really plan to go to the event since there were urgent things to do but didn't really want to miss this out either so went there to have a quick look and ended up taking some pictures. 

Could'n give any comment since I didn't enter the hall, just wanted to share some shots of amazing cosplayers..

Travel Japan by Film

The 15th Japanese Film Festival is on! With the special guest appearances in Sydney  by director Hideyuki Hirayama and actor Yutaka Takenouchi, two films by Takenouchi Oba, the Last Samurai and A Honeymoon in Hell have already sold out, lucky I've got my ticket for this afternoon :)

The interactive map Travel Japan by Film really is a unique and creative way to explore Japan and this year's film festival!

Canberra-Nara Candle Festival

The Canberra-Nara Candle Festival on 22 October marks its 18th anniversary of the Canberra-Nara sister city relationship. I took three-hour ride by bus from Sydney especially for this event and booked a hotel two months ago, and all paid of yesterday afternoon! It's the biggest Japanese Festival I've ever attended in Australia, thousands folk enjoy the Japanese culture, food and thousands of candles lit up by the mayor of Nara city when the sun goes down. 

The event starts around 5pm and features live Japanese entertainment, origami, ikebana, lantern making, mochi making demonstration, and surely the food! The weather was perfect at Lennox Garden just behind the Hyatt Hotel, enjoying the performances including the Nara University High School students singing and dancing AKB48 songs, tasting the freshly made mochi, amazed by the spectacles of 2,000 shimmering candles, there were lots of fun.

(The performances)

(The stalls)

(The mochi-pounding team)

(Sake tasting)

Matsuri in Sydney 2011

Matsuri in Sydney 2011 is coming soon!
Set your reminder on October 15 at Palm Grove Darling Harbour!

Animania 2011 Sydney

I've been a regular visitor of Animania in Sydney, I missed out on the first event last March but I made it to the event yesterday for this year's second one. It's always a good time when anime lovers of all ages get together enjoying the stage show, dance classes, video games, art workshop and taking pictures of fabulous costumes!

(A stall from Japanese Foundation Sydney) 

Sakura Matsuri 2011

Updating my previous post with some photos taken today, the last day of Cherry blossoms festival at Auburn Japanese Garden. 

(Two food stalls selling Takoyaki and Yakitori)

Cherry Blossom Festival 2011

Spring is just around the corner! Sakura season is on!
If you live in Sydney here are two Cherry Blossoms Festival you shouldn't miss:

1. Cherry Blossom Festival at Auburn's Japanese garden, Chiswick Road-Auburn.
     When : 21 August - 28 August 2011.

2. Sakura Masturi at Cowra Japanese Garden, Cowra.
    When : 24 September 2011.

Free Comic Book Day

Free Comic Book Day, the first Saturday in May each year, when the participating comic book shop around the world give away comic books for free to anyone comes into their store. It was the first time I heard about this event when I run into Kinokuniya Sydney store yesterday and joined the queue to get a free comic book.

Some cosplayers didn't miss the opportunity to show-off their costumes and the shop's staffs were dressing up in fabulous costumes too!