From anime fans meeting their favourite characters to traditional performances offering a glimpse of Japan, the Japan Festival 2026 brought together different facets of Japanese culture in Hyderabad on Sunday. Organised by Na Ra Japan Hub, the festival coincided with the 20th anniversary of the Hyderabad–Miyoshi sister-city affiliation, established in 2006 between Hyderabad and Miyoshi City in Japan’s Hiroshima Prefecture. The event featured cultural performances, cosplay, an anime quiz and opportunities to learn about education and employment in Japan. Visitors also explored Japanese crafts and food, while performances and interactive activities offered insights into the country’s traditions and popular culture.
Traditional Japanese puppetry by Kazuo Kawasaki from Miyoshi offered visitors a glimpse of the country’s storytelling traditions
We met people from Japan and India, and seeing both cultures come together in one place was an amazing experience
V Maanya, attendee
Cosplayers portraying popular characters drew crowds of fans eager to interact and take photographs
It was a great opportunity to experience Japanese culture. As cosplayers, we were really happy to see people smiling. We took photographs with many people, and seeing their enthusiasm encourages us to keep going and do more cosplay
Sree Harsha, cosplayer
I enjoyed learning about Japan. I have been practising mixed martial arts for three to four years, and I hope to visit Japan someday to train in jiu-jitsu and other martial arts
Nikhil Kumar Javvaji, an attendee
– Pics by Sanjana Pulugurtha
