living in Düsseldorf ~ Japanese events

Finally I finished my blog postings about my last Japan journey but in the meantime happended so much...

Since the end of April I live in Düsseldorf now where most of the Japanese people live in Germany. So here are many Japanese restaurants, stores and so on and of course many events take place here.

The most popular event is the Japan Day in the old city. It is held every year and more and more people are coming to this event which took place at May the 17th this time. Of course I went there as well especially while I'm living in Düsseldorf now^__^

Some of my friends also came for a visit: Kiki, Lau and Kirschu stayed over night and we were happy that we could enjoy the fireworks for the first time.

The Japan Day is also a good oppotunity for us to wear our Yukatas. I tried my new Yukata which I got from Tomomi's mother as a gift^.^ (and I lend Kirschu my short Yutaka I bought 2012 in Japan)

Many people took pictures of us (the first ones were some older men in the pub around the corner XD) so I guess we were looking pretty good, don't you think:

peace^^v

we four girls^^

me in front of the Düsseldorf skyline^^

But it took quite a long time for my friends to got dressed up and styled^^;

So we arrived around 4 pm at the location and we were open-mouthened because of the crowd >.< There were so many people... we hardly got a free place at the meadow to sit down, chill and enjoy the atmosphere. We also met our friend Sato who was there with her cosplay group (she was the one taking photos of the four of us^^).

While my friends went to a Gyaru meeting I met with my friend from Switzerland. She came all the way here by train but I was really happy to spend some time with her. We went over the place and watched the stands. We looked at the merchandise but didn't buy anything. But I couldn't avoid to stop at a little stand selling Matcha food *_*

I had to try the Matcha cheese cake! And it was really good^.^

Matcha cheese cake *yummy*

The highlight of the day was of course the Japanese fireworks in the evening. But before we went back home and dressed up in casual clothes because it got quite cold after sunset and it was more comfortable. So great that it was possible this year because of my new flat X3

The fireworks were really beautiuful, it is so much better that seeing it on TV. But if you want to take a look, our reginal TV channel put the video online:

http://www1.wdr.de/studio/duesseldorf/lokalzeit/japantaguebersicht102.html

But at the end of the day we must say that it was just too crowded >.< If I hadn't meet my friend from Switzerland it wouldn't have been worth a visit. It's more comfortable to enjoy the place in Düsseldorf without an event and because of my many travels to Japan I know everything they offer. So maybe next year I won't go again.

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Three weeks later the Anime and Manga Convention 'Dokomi' took place in Düsseldorf, too. It is situated in the Fair of Düsseldorf. Next to it is a great park with a Japanese garden, so the perfect location for fans.

On Saturday we were cosplaying alltogether but the Sunday I took the chance to wear my short Yukata for the first time in Germany (really useful with over 30 degrees^^v).

Kiki and me cosplaying Golden Bomber in Kung-Fu Outfit (doing some 'practise' XD)

me in my Yukata in the Japanese garden

The Japanese garden is really a nice place. I think I will visit once again when there is no event as well. But we had much fun.

I really love it that in Düsseldorf you get to experience many sites of Japan. I'm looking forward to more events like these^__^