Japanese city Matsudo, located in Chiba prefecture, is encouraging cosplayers to visit on the weekends, billing its Yabashira district as a cosplay-friendly environment.
The city decided to launch a promotional campaign, noticing that cosplayers have been congregating at nearby 21 Seiki no Mori to Hiroba Park for photoshoots for several years. Together with the Yabashira Ekimae Chuo-Shotenkai shop owners association, which spearheaded the promotional efforts, the city has been posting posters of two girls, one in fantasy garb, with the phrase, “On weekends, I transform myself.” Incidentally, the girl on the left is wearing an outfit modeled after the actual Matsudo High School uniform.
コスプレに優しい街八柱。新京成電鉄・八柱駅（JR武蔵野線・新八柱駅）前中央商店会のポスターが掲示されてた。イラストは七六さん。 #千葉 #松戸 #新京成 #マッドシティ pic.twitter.com/l4ggWuaGnA
— 咲村珠樹 (Tamaki SAKIMURA) (@SabreF86) September 28, 2014
The support for cosplayers is not new; last November, the association turned a vacant storefront into a photo studio that caters specially to cosplayers.
Just over the weekend, the association also held a special event, shuttingdown streets to motor traffic and allowing cosplayers and other visitors to meander amongst the businesses around the Yabashira Station shoppingdistrict. A special cosplay booth also stocked costumes for young children, allowing them to get into the cosplay spirit.
[Source: Asahi Shimbum]
More from Anime News Network
Immigration officials raid cosplay event in Malaysia, arrest four foreign cosplayers
Mexico wins World Cosplay Summit 2015 championship 【Videos】
The best Japanese cosplayers from Ikebukuro Halloween Cosplay Fest 2019【Photos】
The perfect gift for your cosplaying foodie friends – an anime recipe cookbook
Family: Utah man was cosplaying Samurai Champloo when shot, killed by police
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Tokyo’s newest viral dessert is like a Japanese parfait inside a bread bun [Taste test]
Live-action Princess Mononoke is coming to streaming as a live event, previews look amazing [Video]
Starbucks Japan opens new store inside historic seaside quarantine station near Tokyo
Tokyo security guard’s famous station tape font becomes official custom Nike streetwear
Godiva Japan gets into the shaved ice scene with two luxurious frozen desserts this summer
Starbucks Japan releases first-ever gacha capsule toys, featuring iconic menu items as plush coffee charms
7-Eleven Japan adds new cold soup smoothies to its convenience store drinks range
New Studio Ghibli washi tape adds anime flair to Japanese stationery
Koei Tecmo continues to be an investment firm that also happens to make video games
7-Eleven Japan now offering baked-in-store pizza by the slice with two very different topping sets
Kyoto receives more foreign tourists than ever before, but fewer visitors say they’ll return
Pokémon Card Stores requiring facial recognition scans for entry in Japan in latest anti-scalper move
Starbucks Japan unveils exclusive new Frappuccinos limited to three regional areas
Foreign tourists in Japan eat far more rice than previously thought, according to new data
How are you supposed to wash a Japanese futon duvet at the laundromat?
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japan now has human refrigerators inspired by Japanese vending machines
Hatsune Miku collaborates with Hokusai’s art in new Vocaloid ukiyo-e illustration series [Pics]
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Studio Ghibli releases anime T-shirts that pay homage to one of Hayao Miyazaki’s most personal films
Japan triples departure tax, foreign tourists and locals now must pay more to leave country
Family Mart opens new “Famima” flagship store in Tokyo that’s like a tourist attraction
Uniqlo looks back to the very start of Pokémon with new black-and-white pixel art T-shirts[Pics]
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
Dark Souls cosplay photo wins prize worth 100,000 yen
The beautiful official cosplayers of Summer Comiket 2025【Photos】
Comiket 90: Japanese cosplayers bring the heat to opening day of summer event
The Japanese cosplayers and booth ladies from the Anime Japan 2019 convention in Tokyo 【Photos】
Immigration raid at anime convention ends with five Japanese cosplayers being arrested overseas
Luigi’s ‘death stare’ makes it into Japanese Mario Kart 8 commercial