The cultural festival event TAMATAMA FESTIVAL 2023, celebrating pop culture, occurred on October 21 (Saturday) and 22 (Sunday), 2023. The venue included the former Nishi-Ochiai Junior High School and the Tama Center Station area in Tama City, Tokyo.
Across two days, about 40,000 individuals congregated at TAMATAMA FESTIVAL 2023. The event, orchestrated and overseen by WACK—renowned for fostering artists such as BiSH, currently overseeing seven groups—and NiEW, dedicated to supporting alternative culture, was intricately planned through collaboration with the sponsorship of Tama City, local residents, and businesses. Leveraging the entire cityscape, encompassing the main thoroughfare in front of the station and an abandoned school building, professionals and citizens from the Tama New Town vicinity worked together to craft a distinctive and expansive event.
Reporting on the inaugural TAMATAMA FESTIVAL 2023, highlighting the event through a collection of photographs.
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The Overall Atmosphere of TAMATAMA FESTIVAL 2023
The venue was divided into two areas. In the former Nishi-Ochiai Junior High School, “WACK’s own cultural festival” was held with the participation of all WACK groups (ExWHYZ, GANG PARADE, ASP, BiS, Tameshiba no Oogun, Somewhere in Tokyo, KiSS KiSS, BiTE A SHOCK) and Richi. WACK members worked hard to create a festival that included live performances, art exhibitions, photo exhibitions, costume exhibitions, film screenings, theatrical performances, classes, live broadcasts, and even decorations inside the school.
In addition to markets and exhibits by local creators, a choral festival with the Higashi Ochiai Elementary School Chorus Group and a kids’ dance program were also held at the same venue. While local events have been downsized due to the Corona disaster, this collaboration was the result of the hometown aspirations of the two organizers, Junnosuke Watanabe (WACK) and Mansaku Kashiwai (NiEW), who were born and raised in the Tama Center Station area.
The other venue, the area in front of Tama Center Station, was named “NiEW TOWN PARTY” and featured a special edition of “exPoP!!!!!”, a free admission music event organized by NiEW. Autumn”, a corporate exhibition event introducing new technologies, and “TAMA CURRY CAMP”, a curry festival.
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”WACK-style Cultural Festival” – Gymnasium Area
WACK-style Cultural Festival” was held at the former Nishi-Ochiai Junior High School, with programs running simultaneously in four areas: the gymnasium, schoolyard, school building, and YouTube.
The gymnasium was the main venue for paid performances, with live programs by all WACK groups (ExWHYZ, GANG PARADE, ASP, BiS, Tameshiba no Oogun, Somewhere in Tokyo, KiSS KiSS, BiTE A SHOCK) held on both days, “WACK EXHiBiTiON in TAMATAMA FESTIVAL 2023”, and on the second day, the aforementioned “WACK’s own chorus festival” and “WACK’s own cultural festival performance” (live performance by the light music club in a mixed group, dance performance by the dance club, and theater performance by the drama club) were held.
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“WACK-style Sports Festival” – Schoolground area
The highlight of the first day of the schoolyard area was “WACK-style Sports Festival.” Groups were divided into three groups (red, blue, and yellow), and a sumptuous dinner with WACK representative Junnosuke Watanabe was prepared as the first prize.
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Participation-Driven Events including Singing Contest and Minors’ Assertion Took Place in the Schoolgroundyard Area
In the schoolground area, which could be enjoyed by anyone with a school admission ticket priced at 1,000 yen, many events were held with public participation, including the “MUSEUM for NEWTOWN,” a market by creators in the Tama Newtown area.
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Creative Showcase on Campus: WACK’s Art, Photography, and Costume Exhibitions on the 1st Floor
As in the schoolyard, 10 programs were held on the 1st through 3rd floors of the school building, which was open to visitors with school admission tickets priced at 1,000 yen.
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Cinema, Live Broadcast, and Academic Test by WACK” on the 2nd Floor, and “Haunted House” on the 3rd Floor at the School Building
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“WACK-style Classes” Featured WACK Members as Teachers
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Tama Center Station Area Saw Free Live, Curry Festival, and Corporate Exhibitions
In the area in front of Tama Center Station, “exPoP!!!!!” held on the outdoor stage TAMA CURRY CAMP”, a curry festival, and “TAMA TECH 2023.Autumn ~Tama “Machi-zukai” Technology Expo~”, a corporate event to introduce new technology at Parthenon Tama. Expo” was held at Parthenon Tama.
The above is an overview of “TAMATAMA FESTIVAL 2023,” with a focus on photos.
TAMATAMA FESTIVAL 2023
Date: October 21 (Sat.) – 22 (Sun.), 2023
Time: 10:30-19:00 (doors open at 10:00)
Venue: Former Nishi-Ochiai Junior High School / Area in front of Tama Center Station
Organizer: TAMATAMA FESTIVAL 2023 Executive Committee
Planning/Production: NiEW Corporation, WACK Co.
Supported by: Tama City, Odakyu Electric Railway, Keio Electric Railway, Tama Center District Liaison Council, Parthenon Tama Joint Venture, Matsugaya Liaison Council, Kashima District Liaison Council
Official website: https://tamatamafes.com/
Official X account: @tamatama_fes
▼”WACK My Neighbor’s Cultural Festival” (School Area /Former Nishi-Ochiai Junior High School)
▶ Performers:
ExWHYZ, GANG PARADE, ASP, BiS, Mame-Shiba no Oogun, Somewhere in Tokyo, KiSS KiSS, BiTE A SHOCK, Richi
▶Program:
WACK EXHiBiTiON in TAMATAMA FESTIVAL 2023″, “WACK’s own cultural festival performance”, “WACK’s own field day”, “WACK’s own art exhibition”, “WACK’s own photo exhibition”, “WACK’s own costume exhibition”, “WACK’s own movie theater (short films made by the film club) (screening), “WACK’s class,” “WACK’s achievement test,” “WACK’s live broadcast,” “throat singing contest,” “MUSEUM for NEWTOWN,” “Gourmet Street Kitchen Car,” “underage claim,” “kids’ area
▼”NiEW TOWN PARTY” (Station Area)
▶”exPoP!!!!! @TAMATAMA2023″
Venue: Special outdoor stage in front of Parthenon Tama (Tama Center Station)
Admission: Free
21st (Sat.) Performers:
Kengo Kakudate（Yogee New Waves）、Jiro Yanase（betcover!!） Laura day romance, Miran, ako, Cody Lee(Lee)
22nd (Sun.) Performers:
KIRINJI (storyteller), Homecomings, Emerald, Neko Sen, Legend of Divorce, Thin Rhythm
▶Curry festival “TAMA CURRY CAMP
Venue：Parthenon Boulevard (Tama Center Station)
Stalls: Spicemeeting × WACCA, Akihabara Caligari, Champion Curry, uneedacurry, Thai Food Kalavinaka, Kanazawa Curry
Autumn: “Tamatech 2023: Tama ‘Machi-zukai’ Technology Expo” (in Japanese)
Venue: Parthenon Tama (Tama Center Station)
Admission: Free
Exhibitors: Kizuna Corporation, GreatValue Corporation, Simplee Corporation, SeiRogai Corporation, Solaris Corporation, NEO DIVERSE Corporation, PinPon Corporation, playknot Corporation, polyfit Corporation, GK Metamake, Inc. Lilipia Corporation, LensLink Corporation, WAFUKU Labs Inc.
