The Hanami Festival is a family-friendly day out for all ages, where we want everyone to be able to enjoy sharing an appreciation for Japanese culture, including fashion and cosplay.
💃 What’s Happening?
Our Hanami Festival 2025 takes place outdoors from 12pm–4pm on Sunday 27th April.
We are delighted each year to see attendees wearing cosplay, kimono, and Japanese street fashions. It is a great opportunity to meet friends, and take photos in the beautiful grounds and gardens of Farmleigh House.
During this year’s festival, we are planning a cosplay segment on the Martial Arts stage. We will provide more details about this closer to the event.
- As our event is outdoors, this is subject to weather conditions on the day.
🏠 Our Rules
Please observe the following rules:
- No actual weapons and no mock weapons. ⚔
- No airsoft guns, guns, bows, swords, knives, kunai, batons, clubs, or anything that could be mistaken as an actual weapon by a child or elderly person.
- Even fantasy weapons are not allowed.
- Not everyone at this event is used to cosplay, and there is a real risk of causing fright or confusion. We know this is strict compared to other cons and events.
- Save your Resident Evil for GamerFest!
- Costumes must have a minimum coverage of modest swimwear, and the content and appearance of costumes must be suitable for all ages.
- Props must be modest in size, and designed as suitable and safe for an event that is attended by a large volume of people.
- “Props break before people” must apply.
- Props must be handled in a manner that is mindful of other people at all times, particularly while moving between areas or near crowds.
- If your costume restricts movement or your own visibility, you must bring someone with you who can help you to move around.
- Props are not to be used for dangerous horseplay, enacting scenes, or in a manner that threatens other attendees.
- On-the-day rulings of Experience Japan staff in relation to cosplay, props, or use thereof are to be considered final.
🌞 Having a Great Day
We would also like to share these guidelines based on the experiences of previous attendees:
- Consider your choice of costume and transport (see Getting There) so that you can enjoy your visit.
- Experience Japan happens outdoors. Have a plan in case it rains! 🌧️
- Any personal belongings are brought at the owners’ risk. Experience Japan will not be responsible for loss or damage of items.
- Please understand that by walking outdoors in a public space, the general public will tend to take photos without asking permission first.
- Experience Japan may use photographs taken at the event as part of our promotional material, or for sharing on social media.
- We cannot provide storage space for your belongings.
- Depending on demand there may be queues for the changing area.
Thanks for your cooperation!