Connecting to Inbound at the Festival of Cutting-Edge Culture

Broadcasting Japanese Pop Culture from Harajuku

 

People often say, "Asobi System does interesting things," but I don't consciously think of it that way. What I prioritize are things only Asobi System can do, like the "MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON Project" that promotes Japanese pop culture globally. While Harajuku KAWAii culture is central, I also want to showcase other aspects.

The tourist information center "MOSHI MOSHI BOX," which opened in Harajuku in 2014, is one such initiative. To foreign visitors, Harajuku seems like a theme park. They wander in thinking, "I want to see Harajuku." But there aren't that many places to play, so they come to the tourist info center looking for info. We hope this place can be where people who came to Japan after getting interested through Kyary Pamyu Pamyu or anime can actually experience Japanese culture.

Running MOSHI MOSHI BOX taught us the fascinating speed and impact of information spreading through social media. For a while, many visitors from Australia kept asking us, "Where are the rabbit cafes?" Honestly, we didn't even know if there were rabbit cafes in Harajuku. But Australians posted about MOSHI MOSHI BOX and rabbit cafes on social media, creating a movement where "rabbit cafes are trending in Harajuku." Another time, a Thai influencer came by and bought souvenirs produced by Moshi Moshi Nippon. The very next day, we sold 30 of the same items.

Now, with social media, anyone can become an information provider without needing capital. And what you post on Instagram, for example, can be seen by people around the world instantly. Precisely because our connections with the world have increased, we believe it's crucial for us to convey accurate information through social media.

MOSHI MOSHI BOX, located in the heart of Harajuku. In addition to tourist information, it offers services like merchandise sales and karaoke.

 

Aiming for "I came to Japan for this event"

 

Overseas, events like "Japan Expo" let people experience Japanese culture and are packed with attendees from those countries. But the ultimate goal is to get them to visit Japan. On the other hand, while events for Japanese people living in Japan are certainly enjoyable, there are very few events that make foreigners want to visit Japan. That's why we planned the "MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON FESTIVAL," now in its third year. This is our vision of a mini Cool Japan, a festival of Japanese pop culture centered around Harajuku's Kawaii culture, featuring fashion, music, food, anime, and more. This time, we are consciously focusing on inbound tourism. For example, visitors from abroad can enter for free by showing their passport. Last year we drew 25,000 people, and this year's goal is 30,000. On stage, there will of course be live performances and fashion shows, and at the booths, we want to create an event where people can actually experience and learn things, getting inspired. In the future, we aim to grow into something that becomes a reason to visit Japan, where people think, "If Japan has a festival like this, I'll go to Japan during that time."

I feel that in Japan until now, most things have progressed within segmented genres. Traditional crafts stayed within traditional crafts, games within games, and so on. Things became neatly organized within specific industries or sectors, and I wonder if that stifled innovation within those boundaries. But we are conscious of creating new ways to present things by mixing opposites – like tradition and the new, pop culture and subculture. For this event too, we see the theme as how to beautifully present this chaotic blend.

From the fashion show at the 2nd MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON FESTIVAL (November 2015). This year's event runs November 24-27 at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium in Shibuya Ward.

 

Creating a new Japanese culture beyond 2020

 

I feel this every day: Japan's creativity, technology, delicacy, and craftsmanship are truly remarkable. Yet, when promoting Japan overseas, there's a strong tendency to imitate foreign styles or conform to foreign tastes. I believe the most important thing is to convey the value of what Japan creates directly, without distortion. Wasn't that how Japanese automobiles and electronics were highly valued and sold worldwide in the past? We don't make and sell products ourselves, but as cultural ambassadors, we want to actively share the brilliance of what Japan creates with the world.

While we certainly prioritize the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, we're also thinking about what we can leave behind afterward. Tourist numbers will likely keep rising until the Olympics, and demand will increase across various sectors. But the big challenge is how to continuously showcase Japan's greatness after the Olympics end. We've started thinking about creating something sustainable beyond 2020.

That said, I don't want to set a specific goal now for what we'll be doing ten years from now. It's okay to fail. Rather than overthinking, I want to act first and keep moving forward. We see and hear many things constantly, absorbing stimuli and outputting them creatively to grow like an amoeba. Going forward, I want to strengthen that creative power and our ability to share it.