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!
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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.
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 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.
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WACK’s own cultural festival” – gymnasium area
The “WACK My Cultural Festival” was held at the former Nishi-Ochiai Junior High School, as in 2023, with programs running simultaneously in four areas: the gymnasium, the schoolyard, the school building and YouTube. WACK EXHiBiTiON in TAMATAMA FESTIVAL 2024″, a live program by MONSTERIDOL, BiTE A SHOCK, KiSS KiSS, and KURANABARU 1 DAY, “WACK’s own cultural festival performance”, and a field day by the members in the school yard and school building. and cultural festival programs were held in the school yard and school buildings.
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WACK’s own Sports Day” – Schoolyard area
WACK’s own Sports Day” was held on the second day in the schoolyard area. The students were divided into three groups (red, blue, and yellow), and a heated battle ensued.
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Many events for public participation, such as a “throat singing contest” and “underage claim” – schoolyard area
In the schoolyard area, which was opened to the public free of charge, there were “TAMA Folk Jamboree” and “Shonen Kids Bowie (Mini +) Brunch Live,” a storytelling stage, “Dance Performance” by dance studio 4LIKES, “Underage Claim” in which students shouted their feelings they wanted to tell someone from the balcony on the 2nd floor of the school building, and “Nodoka Jamboree” in which general participants The “Nodo Jiman Contest,” in which participants from the general public showed off their beautiful voices, and many other events were held this year as well.
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WACK’s own art exhibition” and “WACK’s own photo exhibition” were held on the first floor of the school building.
On the first floor of the school building, a “WACK My Own Photo Exhibition” was held, featuring photographs taken by WACK members under the theme of “Private Eyes – Special Moments. In addition, an “Art Exhibition in WACK’s Own WAY” was held, featuring clay modeling, painting, and calligraphy based on concepts that come from within, such as “what is important to me” and “thoughts I want to convey now.
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MUSEUM for NEWTOWN: A Two-Day Showcase by Local Creators & Tomoto’s “Kids Area” Thrives with Nonstop Laughter and Activity
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On the 2nd floor of the school building, WACK-style “live broadcasts,” “group rooms,” “classes,” and “achievement tests” were held, and on the 3rd floor, a haunted house was held.
