Last
week I went to Paris with a friend and we spend one day on the Japan
Expo in the 'Paris Parc des Expositions'. We went there on Thursday –
the emptiest day for visitors we expect - but already the train
was so full...
The
Parc des Expositions can only be reached with one train line and just
from one direction (the other direction would be from the airport so
almost nobody is coming or going from this direction). But the
oragnization was very good. The staff divided the coming mass early into
people with ticket and without. We hadn't bought a ticket beforehand
but that was no problem. Many counters were opended, so we didn't
have to wait that long.
Finally
we reached the entrance of Hall 6.
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| entrance to Hall 6 |
It
was amazing. First we got ourselves a festival plan and program. In
Hall 6 were mainly stands for games and goodies, so not really my
thing but for my friend. So we parted there for the day. I went to
Hall 5 where more culturelle stands were located but also (Manga &
Anime) Goodies, Fashion and Sports. From there you could also to enter the
different stages (Live stage, main stage, conference room).
First
I went through the culturelle stands and viewed some shows on the
Culturelle Stage (traditional Japanese Dance, Taiko & Life of
Samurai). It was quite interesting though I only saw the
demonstration part of the Taiko and Samurai Show because my French
isn't that good so I couldn't understand the whole explanations U.U
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| the traditional dancers on the culturelle stage |
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| the samurai |
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| the folded obis and the cord (better pics will follow) |
There
were also stands with original Japanese food and sweets, even stands
with only different kinds of Green Tea and of course my beloved Matcha *_*
On
the stands where they sold Donburi, Udon etc. so many people were
standing in line >.< And the food was quite expensive (13,- €
for a meal and f.e. 3,50 € for an Onigiri), but I chose a nice
little shop on the opposite which sold some Matcha sweets but also
pans. I bought a delicious Matcha Plunder and for lunch a Yakisoba
Pan and I saved a Tamago Pan for later. It was really good ^o^
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| Yakisoba Pan |
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| Matcha sweets^o^ |
Besides
the culturelle area started the sports area where they prepared
special areas for Kendo, Aikido and even traditional Arrow shooting.
Aikido and other combat battling was also made that the visitors
could try/learn some things for themselves. But I didn't try.
 |
| sports area |
I
also watched a part of the Cosplay Show on the Main Stage. It was
really a large hall and a cool stage. They had installed threee
monitors and used really cool light installations. I was impressed of
the quite many CLAMP Cosplayers. But all the Cosplays looked really
good, I was impressed! It was a good show^^
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| Cosplay Stage |
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| Cosplayers (Card Captor Sakura Group) performing |
But
I was surprised about the pretty less cosplayers in the halls. I had expected more
to be there. I guess it was just 50% of the visiteurs. There were
also many people who were interested in Japanese culture &
lifestyle or in games so that Cosplay really didn't take the main
part like it does on German conventions.
 |
| people in the hall |
I
also took a walk through the Goodies' and the fashion stands.
Especially the fashion showed many parts of young Japanese style,
from cupcake things and Liz Liza Style over Gothic to traditional
(looking) clothes.
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| entrance to the fashion area |
You
could also get enough Mangas, DVDs and other Merchandise from your
favourite Animes and Manga and also K-Pop Bands. But that part was
like on every other convention I know from Germany.
I
had also time to watch some live shows on the Live Stage. I saw the
drummer group Satsumasendai Odoridaiko, they were really really good though the members
were all still so young. Their drums and dance were so impressive,
I would have loved to hear more songs from them^^
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| live on stage |
After
them started another group: Neko Light Orchestra
Everyone
painted their face black with white structure and wore blue wigs. It
was some kind of Rockband which also used instruments like violin and
cello and the singer had a very high voice (a bit of celtic mood),
but it was beautiful and they were very funny.
After
the concert I met up with my friend and we tried to leave the Parc
des Expositions...
Like
I said it was just one train in one direction and everybody was
leaving around 7 pm when the Exhibition was closing...
Though
trains arrived every 5-10 minutes, every train was so crowded and it was
hard to get inside. Falling was no longer an option inside the
train^^'
We
were lucky that we had bought a train ticket beforehand because the
lines at the counters and automats were also unbelievable long X.x
So
I must say, it was really a cool Expo but we were afraid to visit it on the
other days because if it gets more crowded, I don't know what to
do... ^^'
So
the Thursday was the perfect day for us (because I wasn't interested
in the other live acts which were planned for the next days and the
culturelle program would be repeated).
I
was happy to have been there but I don't know if I visit the Japan
Expo again because I know many culturell aspects know (also of course
of my own visits to Japan) and if I'm not interested in the Live acts
or Cosplay and I don't know if Paris is worth another visit next year...
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