Festival on Japanese amine and pop culture kicks off in Taipei

Taipei, April 3 (CNA) A three-day festival recreating the bustling vibe of Tokyo's Akihabara opened in Taipei on Friday, featuring Japanese anime, gaming and pop culture, maid café-themed events, and cosplay activities.

Akihabara is widely seen as a hub of Japan's "otaku" culture -- a term referring to fans of anime, manga and gaming -- and a major shopping district for electronics, with themed cafés spread throughout the area.

Organized by Role Digital Entertainment Co., the first edition of the A.C.F. 2026 in Taipei was officially licensed by Japan's Akihabara Culture Festival for the Taiwanese capital.

Ko Yuan-hsin (葛緣信), the company's chairman, said in his opening speech that the event would attempt to re-create Akihabara's streets in Taipei, offering anime fans a platform through which they could share their passion.

The Taipei event features five zones representing different aspects of Akihabara, including areas for gaming, merchandise and anime.

Ko said obtaining various character image rights from Japanese companies, the most challenging part of the festival, was made easier with support from Japanese industry partners and Taiwanese distributors such as Muse Communication Co.

To ensure that visitors in Taipei can experience the feel of authentic Akihabara streets -- complete with the large billboards featuring popular anime and manga -- organizers discussed and repeatedly refined the smallest details, such as character design elements, he said.

Yuki Abe, deputy chief of the Akihabara tourism association, said Akihabara, as a symbol of Japanese pop culture, seeks to promote the appeal of anime, manga, maid cafés and cosplay, which are also widely embraced in Taiwan.

Abe added that the festival is expected to deepen cultural exchanges between Taiwan and Japan while creating new entertainment and business opportunities.

The A.C.F. 2026 in Taipei is being held at the Songshan Cultural and Creative Park until Sunday.