Over 1,000 Cosplayers Parade Through Osu! "World Cosplay Summit 2026" Day 1 Report

The "World Cosplay Summit 2026" was held in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, from Friday, July 31st to Sunday, August 2nd. Cosplayers passionate about anime, games, and pop culture gathered from 40 countries and regions, with various events taking place throughout the summit.

On Saturday, August 1st, marking Day 1 after the eve festival, various events were held, including the cosplayer stage event "CosSammi Selection" at Oasis 21.

Furthermore, at the Aichi Prefectural Art Theater Main Hall, "Akaribi Matsuri"—a collaboration between the lighthouse anthropomorphization project 'Akari no Moribito' and the "World Cosplay Summit"—was held. Meanwhile, the annual "Osu Cosplay Parade" took place in the Osu area.

During "CosSammi Selection," held on a special stage at Oasis 21's Ginga no Hiroba (Galaxy Platform), cosplayers selected through open auditions presented runway walks and performances. Divided into five blocks, cosplayers clad in costumes of characters from various works gave passionate performances, electrifying the entire venue alongside the audience.

Also at Oasis 21, a special version of "CosSammi Selection" was held: "CosSammi Selection supported by Tamakoshi," a cosplay runway exclusively for pachinko and pachislot characters.

Additionally, a wide variety of events took place, including "Con-Cafe Grand Prix 2026 supported by Nagoya Concept Shop Association"—an event deciding the top concept cafe staff—as well as "Cosplayer Talk Show supported by Sony," "TV Anime 'Kanojo no Tomodachi' Special Stage," and "Cosplayer Of The Year / Ikebukuro Halloween Cosplay Fes 2026 Kickoff Stage."

"Akaribi Matsuri" was a stage performance billed as a new kind of "2.5D Reading Drama," fusing dramatic voice actor readings with dance performances by official cosplayers selected from Japan and abroad. A talk show and cosplay runway featuring a star-studded voice acting cast, including Toshio Furukawa and Kazuya Nakai, alongside official cosplayers were also held.

The popular "Osu Cosplay Parade," featuring domestic and international cosplayers marching through the Osu Kannon and Osu Shopping Street area, saw over 1,000 cosplayers participating. Crowds of spectators lining the streets cheered on the cosplayers as they paraded through the town in a vibrant, international atmosphere.

World Cosplay Summit 2026
Dates: Friday, July 31, 2026 – Sunday, August 2, 2026
Venues: Oasis 21 / Aichi Prefectural Art Theater (Main Hall) / Hisaya-odori Park / Osu Shopping Street / Hisaya-odori Gardens Flarie / Central Park / Chubu Electric Power MIRAI TOWER / SLOW ART CENTER NAGOYA

(C) 2026 World Cosplay Summit. All rights reserved.

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