Over 150,000 Japan fans in Düsseldorf - DoKomi 2023 breaks all records.

Over three days, more than 150,000 anime, manga, and cosplay enthusiasts transformed the CCD Congress Center Düsseldorf and the grounds of Messe Düsseldorf into a hotspot of Japanese pop culture in Germany. This allowed DoKomi, which is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, to double its own record from the previous year. From June 30th to July 2nd, 2023, DoKomi occupied over 100,000 square meters, encompassing the entire CCD and six adjacent exhibition halls.

"With 150,000 visitors over three days, the attendance has doubled compared to last year. This demand far exceeds our expectations!" says Andreas Degen, co-founder and managing director of DoKomi.

Düsseldorf Congress has been accompanying the exciting development of DoKomi for the past 13 years. In 2011, the event took place at CASTELLO Düsseldorf (which was part of the portfolio of today's Düsseldorf Congress GmbH), followed by the move to CCD in 2012. "Since the beginning of our collaboration, the team of Düsseldorf Congress and the DoKomi team have formed a close professional friendship and a shared ambition to create unforgettable experiences for young Japanese fans. Through mutual inspiration and collective growth, we have succeeded in making the unique spirit of DoKomi known beyond national borders," explains Maria Kofidou, managing director of Düsseldorf Congress GmbH.

Program diversity and a family-friendly atmosphere

DoKomi is Germany's largest convention dedicated to Japanese pop culture. It offers visitors a wide range of activities, from manga, anime, and cosplay to music, gaming, fashion, tourism, traditional Japanese arts, and culture. Numerous exhibitors, retailers, and artists showcase their latest works and products at DoKomi. In addition to spectacular stage shows and live concerts, DoKomi also offers a variety of interactive activities such as character auctions, cosplay competitions, or dance workshops, which are particularly popular among Japanese fans. Through this mix, the creators of DoKomi have managed to preserve the authentic and family-friendly atmosphere of the event while experiencing such remarkable growth.

Building cultural bridges

The fact that events like DoKomi and Japan Day, which was attended by 650,000 people this year, take place in Düsseldorf is no coincidence. North Rhine-Westphalia and Düsseldorf have close economic and human ties with Japan. The city on the Rhine has one of the largest Japanese communities in Europe and provides a unique platform for economic cooperation, cultural and social exchange, and the promotion of Japanese (pop) culture. Events like DoKomi contribute to deepening this connection in the region. "With the increasing popularity of anime and the Japan Expo, the event's attractiveness to international guests also grows, highlighting once again the central role that Düsseldorf plays for Japanese culture in Germany," says Maria Kofidou.

Picture: Düsseldorf Congress GmbH