Earlier this month I had the honor of attending the 20th anniversary of Nagoya’s World Cosplay Summit (WCS) held in Sakae. This event brings talented cosplayers from around the world to compete in stage and costume contests as well as appreciate anime culture. WCS is normally held the first Friday night of August – Sunday of the same week (making it 3 days total). It is a fantastic event for networking with photographers and like-minded cosplayers from around the globe, but you do not have to wear cosplay to attend. To be an official photographer or cosplayer and gain access to certain areas of the event, a small entrance fee is necessary. Please see the ticketing guide on the WCS website for more information. If you just want to stop by and look at the cosplayers without entering any of the special areas, then the event is free.
This year I brought Tifa from FF7R, Rei from Evangelion, and a bridal version of Saber that I hired a local photographer to shoot. One thing to remember is that this event is held during the hottest time of the year, so it is recommended to dress light while adhering to the dress code and drink lots of water. I went with a group of two other girls so it would be more fun than cosplaying alone. Here are some photos I took on my phone over the three days of the event. There was an orchestra playing “Cruel Angel’s Thesis” dressed in My Hero Academia uniforms which I thought was awesome!
The major difference between cosplay events in the US and Japan are that the US ones are usually held in convention centers with hotels and have more of a party vibe, while the ones in Japan are usually held in large public spaces and therefor have stricter rules. I found WCS to be great for networking with photographers and seeing famous cosplayers, but unfortunately the hotel rooms near the event space were pretty cramped and it was harder to make friends. I did gain a number of worthwhile followers on social media, though! US cosplay events definitely feel a bit less professional than world class events like this but both are fun in their own ways. My advice is to try both out and see which atmosphere fits you and your cosplay best. Though this event was fairly serious I did go drinking with my friends after and it was so much fun!
Gourmet Recommendations
As a lover of aesthetic food, I had quite a long list of places that I wanted to try in Nagoya! Here are the best ones that I’ve came across during this trip:
Taiyaki Ten
This small taiyaki and ice cream shop sells a “drinkable taiyaki” shake that tastes like cookie dough and is topped with a taiyaki shell. As you drink the shake, the taiyaki looks like he is drowning! I appreciated how original this idea was and also how friendly the shop owners were. Be sure to get some taiyaki to go because you’ll definitely need some energy if you go to WCS!
Address: 1-chome-1-29 Torisu Minami Ward Nagoya Aichi
Nagoya Champon Tokidori
I was craving seafood ramen on this trip and came across the perfect shop in Kanayama! What drew me the most was the freshness of the raw egg that you can order as a side. The shrimp, scallops, and vegetables had a wonderful flavor and the raw egg mixed in gave the noodles the perfect texture. This is the perfect food for summer because it is served cold. Though soba is usually one of the most popular summer foods, it has competition here!
Address: 〒454-0012 Aichi, Nagoya, Nakagawa Ward, Otobashi, 3 Chome−3−3 サンベアーマンション金山 103号
TERRA
Terra is an upscale Japanese French fusion cuisine restaurant near Oasis21 in Sakae. Our sponsor booked us a course here that consisted of seasoned fish, vegetables, and delicious desserts! I really enjoyed the texture of the gelato at the end of the course and the sparkling wine. I would definitely recommend this place for a date because it has an adorable atmosphere. Courses start at about 6000 yen per person and are quite filling.
Address: 〒461-0001 Aichi, Nagoya, Higashi Ward, Izumi, 2 Chome−13−6 シャトー泉II 1F
Ralph’s by Ralph Lauren
By Sunday morning we were exhausted from the heat and needed a pick-me-up, so we decided to go to the Ralph’s coffee shop right near Oasis21 for some breakfast. We ordered coffee and tried various tea blends with the Ralph cookie and also had some salmon and caprese toast. This shop is really cute and has a great atmosphere so I would recommend it as one of my top breakfast spots in Nagoya. Please visit it if you get the chance!
Address: 3 Chome-16 Nishiki, Naka Ward, Nagoya, Aichi 460-0003
Accommodation
Though I normally stay with friends whenever I go to Nagoya, this time my sponsor booked an accommodation close to the event so we could get changed in our hotel rooms. Please note that there are dressing rooms you can pay to use at WCS, but they get crowded so we preferred to get changed in privacy. The hotel that was selected for us was ACCESS by LOISIR HOTEL Nagoya which is just 2 blocks from the event and only 7800 yen per night. The good thing about this hotel was that everyone staying in it that weekend was participating in the event (we even saw staff members in the elevators). The bad thing about the hotel is that the rooms are quite small, but we were mostly at the event so it didn’t matter in the end. There are definitely better accommodations in Nagoya, but this is perfect for cosplayers who don’t want to walk a long way to the event. I was wearing a long dress as one of my costumes so I appreciated the convenience of this place.
Thank you for reading the final article of my recent series to WCS and Kansai! I plan on going to Naoshima later this month so the adventures will carry on at a decent pace. Please look forward to my next post as always!