【Adachi Mystery Hunter】 Sneak into Cosplay Studio in Gotanno!

 Recently I heard strange rumors.
It is said that young people dressed in eccentric clothes can be often seen near Gotanno Station of Tobu Skytree Line in Adachi.

Gotanda? No, it is not Gotanda. It's Gotanno.

This is very important.
I will write the same thing several times in this article.
At any rate, this is a mystery. I decided to go to Gotanno.

People in eccentric clothes get together! What's going on Gotanno now?

I, Mystery Hunter who got off at Gotanno Station decided to start to investigate around it.
Then, I could get some important information.
After all, information can be obtained by fieldwork. This is my motto.

"I saw some people in showy clothes entering an abandoned factory,
"People like a cameraman can be seen many times."
"Is there anything to do with Gotanno Festival in November? Last year a lot of people who wore anime character's costumes or mascot costumes gathered there!"

It clicked. This mystery should be explained by keywords "cosplay" and "studio", though actually there are some mysteries left. (an abandoned factory or Gotanno Festival etc.)
I immediately tried searching on the Internet with "Gotanno, Cosplay, Studio".
After all, the internet is fast enough to get information.
As the case may be, it is my motto to rely on a modern convenience.
What came out in search results ......"aiRoute studio"​ ​I immediately made an appointment to visit.​ ​

In the abandoned building, a dream world was spreading

When I arrived at aiRoute studio, it's almost like an abandoned building ... ....
What on earth are they doing here? I thought, and then a staff M came to meet me and explained an outline of the studio.
aiRoute studio is a cosplay studio established in 2013.
Although the number of cosplay studios has increased these days, it is said to be a pioneer of this trend.
In recent years, due to the influence of the Halloween boom, it becomes popular that cosplayers who pretend to be a comic, animated cartoon or game characters join an event and take photos by themselves.
However, we have very few places to photograph.

"The difference from regular studios is that there are various locations in one studio. For example, the room of a library, a classroom, ruins, Japanese room, Gothic area, Arabian area and Wizard area, where you can photograph in multiple scenes. Over the weekend, more than 100 people sometimes come to use the studio."(M said)

While talking, I was guided into the building of aiRoute studio (there are two buildings, the main building and the annex!). But every time the room changes, I feel like I entered another world.
That's amazing. The abandoned building was a complex labyrinth with various worlds.

"Each room was made by DIY. It began with a renovation of the abandoned building as the owner has worked at a house maker. In Gotanno, we have 3 studios, ai Radour that specializes in ruins~Gothic rooms and ai Ruin studio renovating an abandoned factory apart from the main building and the annex of aiRoute studio." (M said)

This is exactly the abandoned factory I heard when I gathered information. I understood by myself, but what made me surprise was the fact that they manage three studios in only Gotanno.
Gotanno is gradually changing into a friendly city for cosplayer.

Collaboration with Gotanno Festival

Cosplay was not popular until recently, but now its culture has expanded with the spread of the Internet and 'comic market' held twice a year. In Nagoya, 'World Cosplay Summit' is held every year. It became a world-famous Japanese culture.
Gotanno is no exception. aiRoute studio has also joined "Gotanno Festival" held every November since 2017.

"Cosplayers gradually began to be invited to town events like "Gotanno Festival". It is a very welcome thing, but there are still more challenges. For example if only a person breaches manners, the impression of the whole cosplayers will be worse for those present. We on the management side want to make it possible for both cosplayers and citizens to enjoy town events." (M said)

I was surprised by the gap between his sincere attitude and his costume as if he jumped out of the 2D world in unusual space. (Today is the animated character's costume).
He told me an episode that they gave their studio use tickets to citizens at Gotanno Festival last year.​ ​

It is not "Da", but "No"!

I solved the mystery and heard a good story.
Today I solved one mystery in Adachi. I was about to leave the building after saying thank him, when I found a man standing......!

"It's not Gotanda! It's Gotanno!"

Who said such a thing must be a resident in Gotanno.
And intuition told me that he is quite a veteran.
"Mr. Yamada!" (M said)
Do you know each other?
This is Mr. Tomotaka Yamada who is running a public bath near Gotanno Station.
It appears that Mr. Yamada who is one of the members of "Gotanno Festival Executive Committee", realized the collaboration with aiRoute last year.

"This year we are extending the scale further than last year, so that cosplayers who joined the contest can enjoy taking photos at various places of Gotanno. Now I'm asking the shops and elementary schools for the permission to use." (Mr. Yamada) "This time children will vote, so it seems that which character you cosplay is the turning point in the contest. Me? I guess I'm guiding or looking around riding on a bike on that day. (lol)" (Mr. M)

"Gotanno Festival" in 2018 is held on Saturday, November 10.
All costumed participants (pre-recruitment system) will get 1,000 yen worth of a gift certificate available at the shopping district near Gotanno Station and 2,000 yen for aiRoute studio use ticket.

Gotanno is changing little by little.
Mr. Yamada said​ ​"I want to make the city lively where people exchange greetings whenever they meet."​ ​
About the charm of Gotanno, M said,"A city where people's everyday life can be felt everywhere."​ ​
Although it is my personal opinion, as I walk through the street and move my eyes to the side, the game character and the animated character are walking.
I think it would be nice if it became "the city where everyday life and extraordinary life coexist" with such a downtown atmosphere.
If you are interested, why don't you visit "Gotanno Festival" on Saturday, November 10?

Adachi Mystery Hunter / Nakanishi Hideo
Cooperation in coverage / aiRoute studio, Mr. Tomotaka Yamada (Gotanno Ekimae-dori Ginza-kai)