Japanese Friendship Garden Costume Contest to Mark First Friday

Phoenix, AZ – The Japanese Friendship Garden, Ro Ho En, will hold a CosPlay contest on March 6 to mark First Friday Artwalk. The competition is open to enthusiasts of all ages and no prior registration is required. On First Fridays, admission to the Garden is free beginning at 4 p.m., making it a great time for the general public to enjoy this authentic cultural attraction.

Cosplay, short for “costume play”, is a type of performance art popular in Japan. Participants don often-elaborate costumes and accessories based on characters from contemporary Japanese and Asian entertainment popular culture outlets including manga, anime, tokusatsu, comic books, graphic novels, video games, and fantasy movies. Competitors will need to sign-in at the Japanese Friendship Garden between 4 and 5:45 p.m. prior to the official 6 p.m. competition.

The Japanese Friendship Garden – Ro Ho En, 1125 N. 3rd Ave. in central Phoenix, is an authentic Japanese stroll garden that features more than 1,500 tons of handpicked rock, more than 50 varieties of plants, flowing streams, a 12-foot waterfall and a Koi pond. The garden is open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. More information about the garden is available online at phoenix.gov/PARKS/jfg.html.

General Information Contact: 602.256.3204

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