Skip to main content
NEWS EVENT SPECIAL SERIES

TAMATAMA FESTIVAL 2024: A Vibrant Second Year with 40,000 Enthusiasts

2025.1.17

#MUSIC

The vibrant TAMATAMA FESTIVAL 2024 returned on October 19 (Saturday) and 20 (Sunday), transforming Tama City, Tokyo, into a bustling celebration of pop culture. With the former Nishiochiai Junior High School and the area around Tama Center Station as its main venues, the event brought fresh energy to this suburban community.

Tama New Town, home to 223,000 residents, served as the perfect stage for this inclusive “cultural festival for all.” Bridging diverse forms of creativity, cutting-edge technology, and people from all walks of life, the festival celebrated connection and community. From the station’s main thoroughfare to a repurposed school, professionals and local residents collaborated to create an extraordinary event where everyone, young and old, could come together and celebrate.

Marking its second year, TAMAFES has its roots in “NEWTOWN,” an event that began in 2017 on a school site in Tama New Town. As the pandemic eased in 2023, it evolved into TAMAFES, spearheaded by WACK—famous for nurturing artists like BiSH—and NiEW, a supporter of alternative culture. With Tama City, local residents, and businesses backing the event, TAMAFES became a unique symbol of community-driven creativity.

The 2024 edition introduced exciting new features like the NiEW MARKET near the station and engaging theatrical workshops. While strong winds forced the cancellation of outdoor stages and scaled down markets on the second day, the festival still drew an impressive 40,000 attendees over the weekend. It was an unforgettable two days, brought to life by the shared passion of its organizers and participants.

Relive the highlights of TAMATAMA FESTIVAL 2024 through this detailed photo report!

Overview of TAMATAMA FESTIVAL 2024

The venue is divided into two areas, and ExWHYZ, GANG PARADE, ASP, Mame-Shiba no Oogu a.k.a. MONSTERIDOL, BiTE A SHOCK, KiSS KiSS, and Richi will perform at “WACK’s own cultural festival” in the former Nishi-Ochiai Junior High School. In addition to the live performances, art exhibition, photo exhibition, scholastic achievement test, live broadcast (distribution), “WACK’s own class” in which WACK members served as lecturers, and “WACK’s own group room” in which members planned elaborate entertainment, WACK members created a cultural festival.

Venue MAP
WACK members

Many collaborations with citizens of the Tama Newtown area took place at the same venue. Children gathered at the “MUSEUM for NEWTOWN” where local creators held markets and exhibitions, the kids’ area by “tomoto,” a cultural space for children and the community operated in the Ochiai Danchi shopping street not far from the venue, and programs such as a singing contest, rice cake pounding, and kids’ dancing. The children gathered at the “tomoto” kids’ area, which is a cultural space for children and the community. The event was full of fun, created in collaboration with creators and citizens in the Tama New Town area.

The key visual for “TAMATAMA FESTIVAL 2024” was created by FACE, an illustrator from the former Nishi-Ochiai Junior High School where the event was held, and Shinya Hanabusa, a designer.
Many local residents participated in the “Nodo Boast Contest.
The guerrilla mochi pounding catered under the slogan “Making Mochi Pounding an Everyday Occasion. Mochi pounding by the guerrilla mochi pounding catering unit “Mochi wa Mochiya” with the slogan “Mochi pounding is an everyday event.

The other venue, the area in front of Tama Center Station, was named “NiEW TOWN PARTY,” and a special edition of “exPoP!!!!!,” a free admission music event hosted by NiEW, was held outdoors. The area in front of Tama Center Station will host a special edition of “exPoP”, a free admission music event organized by NiEW, a curry festival “Tokyo Curry Culture in TAMA”, and a market “NiEW MARKET”. In addition, “TAMA TECH 2024.Autumn – TAMA “Machi-zukai” Technology Expo”, a corporate exhibition event introducing new technologies, and a theater workshop by the theater troupe HANCHU YUYO were held inside Parthenon Tama.

exPoP!!!!!” was held free of charge on the outdoor stage in front of the station area. TAMATAMA2024″, featuring Khaki, HALLEY, Tomonari Sora, Nagakumo, ROTH BART BARON, and Summer Eye on the first day. Jiguzaguzu, Enptei, Sarasa (Solo Set), Haruko Oishi, Yuranfune, Wataru Sawabe (Skirt), and Sunny Day Service were scheduled to perform on the second day, but due to strong winds, the event was canceled for the safety of performers, staff, and visitors.
Curry festival “Tokyo Curry Culture in TAMA” held on Parthenon Boulevard in the area in front of the station.
TAMA TECH 2024 Autumn – TAMA “Machi-zukai” Technology Expo” held at Parthenon Tama in front of the station area.

RECOMMEND

NiEW’S PLAYLIST

NiEW recommends alternative music🆕

NiEW Best Music is a playlist featuring artists leading the music scene and offering alternative styles in our rapidly evolving society. Hailing from Tokyo, the NiEW editorial team proudly curates outstanding music that transcends size, genre, and nationality.

EVENTS