【Event Ended】 Event ended] Free Creator Fest in Harajuku Laforet for over 300 people! Read in Japanese

An art festival I stumbled upon in Harajuku, a large-scale creators' event organized by TSUTAYA!

On a weekday evening, I was strolling through Harajuku when a sign caught my eye.
Attracted by the words "TSUTAYA CREATORS' MARKET," I went to Laforet Museum Harajuku on the 6th floor of Laforet.

I was right, it was not just a handsome "exhibition," but a space like a cultural festival, filled with cute, unique, healing, and stimulating things.

And it was free admission! The ease with which you can just walk in on the street is also great.

Lots of pastel colors. I especially recommend it to those who like anime-style bishojo art!

The first thing that caught my eye upon entering was the cute pastel anime-style illustrations.
Girls with idol-like expressions, dreamy colorful characters, palm-sized mascots, accessory-like accessories...

You may think, "Oh my God, am I in heaven? You'll find so much "cuteness" here that you'll think you're in heaven.
The world view is sure to appeal to those who like fancy and girly tastes, as well as to the girls of the "guess what" generation, Generation Z, and art college students.

Of course, there is a wide range of genres such as simple, cool, digital art, and science fiction.
This is the place where you can definitely find what you like.

More than 300 creators participate! Weekday evenings are quieter, while weekends may have a more festive atmosphere.

The entire event, including the first and second halves, has more than 300 creators exhibiting their works.
I visited around 6:00 p.m. on a weekday, when the crowd was calm and I was able to view the works at my leisure.

On the other hand, there were fewer creators in the gallery than I expected. Perhaps many of them were working on their day jobs.
This may be the reason why there are more opportunities to talk directly with the artists on Saturdays and Sundays, giving the event a more "festive" atmosphere.

I like this style! Can I buy it on social networking sites or through mail order? This is also a unique way to enjoy this event.

There is a full lineup of goods for sale! Stickers, ackee, zines... you can take them home with you and your memories!

Almost all of the exhibited works are available for purchase. And they are reasonably priced.
This time I bought stickers and postcards at a booth that caught my attention.

The stickers, in particular, are perfect for putting on your PC or phone as a "memory.
You won't look like anyone else, and you can keep the "feeling" you had at the time. I was deeply impressed by the fact that art can be preserved in this way as well.

Some booths sold miniature original paintings, handmade goods, apparel, zines (self-produced books), and other items, making it possible to take home the creators' worldview in its entirety.

You can also check out the creators you are interested in on the official website!

Just looking around the venue is fun, but you can also check the list of participating creators and their profiles with SNS links on the official website.
It is easy to search for a creator later when you are wondering, "What is that creator's name? It's great that it's easy to search for them later!

This is truly an event that connects the search for a favorite with the following of that author.

It makes you want to follow people you are interested in and support their activities in the future. It was wonderful to see the connection between fans and artists in this way.

It was a quiet market at 18:00 on a weekday. But the works speak to you.

I visited the market around 6:00 p.m. on a weekday. I got the impression that many people stopped by on their way home from work.
Overall, the market was not crowded, and I had the luxury of being able to look around at the works of art at my leisure.

However, there were not many creators in the gallery, perhaps because it was a weekday and they were busy with their work or production. However, including this, it felt like a "market where the works speak for themselves," and it was a valuable experience for me to be able to face the works in silence.

If we went on Saturdays and Sundays, the number of visitors would probably be higher and the festival would have a more festive atmosphere.
I'm sure it would be wonderful to see so many fans gathered to talk with the artists and enjoy live drawing...such an atmosphere would be wonderful, too.

After all, cute is justice! Pastel and anime girls are very popular

What was impressive was that there were so many works of cute anime-style girls drawn in pastel colors.
Fluffy hair, sparkling eyes, and characters existing in a slightly mysterious world. Just looking at them was soothing and somehow nostalgic.

Each booth had its own distinct "world view" of the artist, and the use of color, touch, and even the decorations were all carefully chosen.
The taste of the booths appealed not only to anime and subculture fans, but also to adult women with a penchant for all things cute, and I realized that this is part of the current Harajuku culture.

There is more value here than just "buying things.

I purchased small postcard-sized artworks and stickers.
They are reasonably priced, starting at 500 yen per piece, and can be easily enjoyed by people who do not usually have the opportunity to come into contact with art.
But this was no mere "shopping"; it was a treasure, a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with the creators.

Every time you look at a piece, you will remember that you met it at Laforet.
Isn't it wonderful to have such encounters with your favorite creators remain in your daily life?

I will definitely go back next time!

The scale, content, and quality of the TSUTAYA CREATORS' MARKET Vol. 1 was very high, and to be honest, I was surprised.
The management was very attentive, and the booth layout and lead lines were easy to understand, so even first-timers could enjoy the event without stress.

I hope that this event will continue on a regular basis, and if there is a "Vol. 2" or a regional event, I will definitely go!
Hopefully, I would like to have a chance to talk with more creators on a day when there are more creators in the gallery.

Why don't you go and find your "guess"?

The TSUTAYA CREATORS' MARKET is open to everyone who loves art and illustrations,
We hope you will visit TSUTAYA CREATORS' MARKET not only if you like art and illustrations, but also if you want to feel refreshed, healed, or cheered up by someone's work.
We hope that you will visit this event.

Harajuku has a free and soft atmosphere.
The creators' straightforward and warm works will be displayed there,
I also found myself thinking, "I want to make something that someone else has made.

It was a time for me to reaffirm that "there is power in something created by someone else.
This space, with all the works lined up in a row, is truly a "treasure house of encounters with your favorite things.
I am sure that there are encounters hidden somewhere that will enrich your life a little, without exaggeration.

If you are interested in this event, please visit Laforet. Admission is free, so you don't need to bring anything.
And be sure to take home a favorite piece, a word, or a smile from the artist.

💡Tips for your next visit:

• The gallery is more likely to be present on Saturdays and Sundays, and there may be live events.
• Check the list for booth numbers and check in advance for artists you are interested in ◎.
• Follow your favorite artists on SNS to get information about their next exhibit!

Related article: Check out other events!

Event Summary (*The second half of the event is now underway!)

• ACG Corporation / Culture Experience Co.
• Twitter: @BPOSinfo
• Hashtag: #TCM1