Yokai-themed event “Yokai Expo 2025” will be held on Shodoshima, Kagawa Prefecture in time for Setsubun on February 2nd
*Shodoshima Healthy Land Co., Ltd.*
Press release: July 22, 2024
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Yokai-themed event “Yokai Expo 2025” will be held on Shodoshima, Kagawa Prefecture in time for Setsubun on February 2nd
*Yokai fans from all over the country gather! February on Shodoshima is celebrated with the Oni Arizuki festival. *
The Shodoshima Maze Town Yokai Project Executive Committee (Shodoshima Healthy Land Co., Ltd.), which carries out art projects and local projects in the “Maze Town” (Tonosho Honmachi) on Shodoshima, Kagawa Prefecture, announced on February 1, 2025 ( From Saturday) to Sunday the 2nd, we will be holding a Yokai-themed event called Yokai Expo 2025. A networking event and tour will be held on Saturday, February 1st. 2nd (Sunday) Exhibition/stage event will be held at Tonosho Town General Hall
It will be held at Fretopia Hall.
In addition to bringing together organizations from all over the country that carry out regional development activities with the theme of yokai, there will also be a talk show with special guests, a stage show of yokai cosplay and the “Hyakki Yako” parade, and a
yokai-themed painting contest. This event is full of content, including the public judging session for the “1st Yokai Art Award.” This event will also be held at the same time as the 3rd Shikoku Yokai Festival and the 3rd Setsubun Good Work Party.
[Web page] https://www.yokaiexpo.com/
*Background*
*1.As a countermeasure for the low tourist season in February* Shodoshima is a tourist destination that attracts 1 million people a year, but the number of visitors decreases sharply in the winter due to the large difference in peak and peak seasons. The decline was particularly notable in February, with hotels on the island forced to close and employment unstable, so creating tourism content to attract tourists has been a long-standing challenge. Therefore, by holding an annual event with the theme of demons and monsters in February, which is the time of Setsubun, we would like to contribute to
countermeasures against the slow tourist season.
* 2. Sustainable Tourism/Osaka Expo/Setouchi Triennale*
Initiatives for “sustainable tourism” advocated by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) can be seen as creating
opportunities in the tourism market. Furthermore, in 2025, the Osaka Expo and Setouchi Triennale are scheduled to be held from April, and Kagawa Prefecture is also required to take steps to serve as a prelude to these events. Therefore, in order to convey to the world that the tolerance of yokai culture is a value that is connected to SDGs and sustainability, we will hold a trade fair that brings together initiatives related to yokai culture from all over the country, and will promote international tourism. We would like to contribute to this as well.
* What is Yokai Expo 2025? *
“Yokai Expo 2025” is an event where people who love yokai and yokai culture gather together. This is an event where people who foster all kinds of yokai culture, including organizations that promote yokai-themed regions, researchers, artists, creators, cosplayers, and performers, gather to spread yokai culture to the world. Shodoshima is home to the Yokai Museum, the only museum in the world with the theme of “Modern Yokai” under the slogan “YOKAI to the World.” Many people will gather on this island and, through Yokai Expo 2025, will understand the origins of yokai, increase their creativity, and train their imagination, with the aim of realizing a tolerant society that recognizes diversity. The general producer is Tadahei Yagyu, a Yokai painter and director of the Yokai Museum.
“Yokai Expo 2025”, which will be held for the first time, will take over the “Shikoku Yokai Festival” held twice in the past in Oboke Gorge, Miyoshi City, Tokushima Prefecture, and will simultaneously hold the “3rd Shikoku Yokai Festival”. It has been decided that the event will be held with the full support of the Shodoshima Tourism Association, so that not only Yokai fans from all over the country, but also those interested in Japanese culture and Yokai culture both domestically and internationally, can fully enjoy it.
* [Event Overview] *
・Event name: Yokai Expo 2025
・Concurrently held: 3rd Shikoku Yokai Festival, 3rd Setsubun Good Work Party ・Date and time: February 1st (Saturday) Bus tour & networking event / February 2nd (Sunday) 9:00-16:00 Exhibition/Stage event
・Location: Tonosho Town General Hall Fretopia Hall 267-78 Ko, Tonosho Town, Shozu District, Kagawa Prefecture
・Sponsor: Shodoshima Maze Town Yokai Project Executive Committee ・Co-sponsors: Shodoshima Tourism Association, Yokai Museum
・Sponsored by: Tonosho Town, Shodoshima Town, Tonosho Town Board of Education, Shodoshima Town Board of Education
・Cooperation: Shodoshima Healthy Land Co., Ltd., Shodoshima Maze Town Art Project MeiPAM,
Pao Feel Co., Ltd., Shodoshima Town Design Co., Ltd.
・Estimated attendance: 3,000 people
・Admission fee: Free
Pavilion: There are many pavilions and Yokai projects where “Kaijiman” from all over the country gather!
* ・“Pavilion” including “Kaijiman” booths all over the country * Organizations working on regional development with the theme of yokai from around the country, mainly in Shikoku, were invited to set up booths called “Pavilions.” We are also looking for exhibitors from artists and creators who engage in art activities with the theme of yokai. In addition, we are looking for exhibitors from both companies and individuals with themes that have a strong affinity with tourism, Shodoshima, and yokai, and will be asked to sell products and promote the event.
* ・We are also looking for food and beverage pavilions with Yokai menu* We are also looking for food and beverage pavilions such as kitchen cars. We also plan to offer a “Yokai Menu” unique to “Yokai Expo 2025.”
* ・Exhibition of submitted works for the “1st Yokai Art Award”, final judging, and announcement of winning works*
The Yokai-themed painting contest “Yokai Art Award” will be held, and the final judging and presentation of the winning works will be held on February 2nd (Sunday) at the “Yokai Expo 2025” venue.
“Yokai Painting Award” https://meiro-youkai.com/painting
* ・A large collection of loose characters including “Kind Aooni-kun” and “Olive Shima-chan” *
There will also be a large gathering of local characters, including Kagawa Prefecture’s tourism campaign character “Kind Ao Oni-kun”, Shodoshima’s local mascot “Olive Shima-chan”, and the Yokai Museum’s mascot “Michishirubee”.
*Stage events: expert talk show, cosplay Hyakki Yagyō, singing and picture-story shows*
On stage, there will be talk shows by famous experts, a Yokai cosplay fashion show, songs and performances related to demons and Yokai, and a picture-story show. The finale is a mochi toss called “goen nage” rather than bean throwing.
*・Talk show*
We are planning to hold a talk show with Japan’s leading experts on yokai research, which anyone involved in yokai would want to talk to at least once. (Performers and details will be announced at a later date)
* ・Cosplay Fashion Show & Hyakki Night Parade*
A fashion show was held. After the fashion show, cosplayers paraded down Angel Road for the “Hyakki Night Parade.” (Details will be announced at a later date)
* ・Ennage (mochi throwing) *
The demons that were chased out of each household during Setsubun express their apologies and gratitude, and are called “en-nage.” *・Stage live*
There will also be a live music performance by Chokeshi Niyan from the Yokai Museum, a picture-story show based on the fairy tale “The Crying Red Demon” by radio personality and children’s music therapist Yu Miyazaki, and an opera that combines these elements.
* Bean throwing is strictly prohibited! In February, Shodoshima becomes Onigashima, a demon resort! *
* [Producer Tadahira Yagyu comment] *
Although it is a Setsubun Day event, there will be no
“mame-throwing”. Since ancient times, “Oni”, which can be said to be a symbol of untouchable villains and absolute villains, have been considered objects to be exterminated, but this event is also the mainstay of the Yokai world, and especially during the Setsubun period, demons are hated objects. The theme is to comfort the “demon”. In October, Izumo celebrates the “Month of God”, and in February, Shodoshima celebrates the “Month of Demons”, and if demons and monsters can spend their time comfortably, it will be a time of peace where diversity can be recognized. It may be the beginning of a society where society is better. We look forward to welcoming not only yokai fans from Japan and overseas, but also those who love Japanese culture to our island.
* What is the Shodoshima Maze Town Yokai Project Executive Committee? * It was started by Tadahira Yagyu, a ghost painter who lives on Shodoshima. Since 2013, we have been soliciting a wide range of free-thinking yokai art works, and have been holding the “Yokai Creation Award” (a contest for yokai sculptural works) that is open to the public. We have invited toy collectors, manga artists, animators, sculptors, and other artists who are active in various fields to serve as judges, and we have selected the best works, all of which are stored and exhibited at the Yokai Museum.
* “Bringing Yokai to the World” *
We want to make “Yokai” a global word.
The director of the Yokai Museum is Tadahei Yagyu, a Yokai painter born in Shodoshima.
Shodoshima Maze Town Yokai Project Executive Committee 398 Ko, Tonosho-cho, Shozu-gun, Kagawa Prefecture (inside Yokai Museum) 0879-62-0221 mail@meipam.net
*What is Shodoshima Healthy Land Co., Ltd.*
MeiPAM engages in olive cultivation and research, development and manufacturing of cosmetics and foods, mail order sales, etc. in Setouchi and Shodoshima.
Joint management of the Shodoshima Maze Town Art Project. Planning, promotion, and operation of regional revitalization projects.
Shodoshima Healthy Land Co., Ltd. 2721-1 Ko, Tonosho-cho, Shozu-gun, Kagawa Prefecture President: Toshihiro Yagyu
Established: 1985 HP: https://shl-olive.co.jp/