VILLAGE VANGUARD FESTIVAL -vias JAM-, bringing together diverse culture and creators from all across Japan, is making its debut at YOKOHAMA WORLD PORTERS 🛍️
Over three days, from Wednesday, September 2 through Friday, September 4, 2026, you can enjoy a jam-packed lineup led by a market featuring roughly 120 creators!
📖 What’s In This Article 📖
☝️VILLAGE VANGUARD FESTIVAL -vias JAM- debuts free of charge at YOKOHAMA WORLD PORTERS from Wednesday, September 2 through Friday, September 4, 2026
✌️Features a market with roughly 120 creators, workshops, and more
🤟With so many creators exhibiting, we’re spotlighting 3 standouts — check the official site for the full lineup
[September 2–4, 2026] VILLAGE VANGUARD FESTIVAL -vias JAM- Confirmed for Its Yokohama Debut 🛍️
The event’s subtitle, “vias JAM,” carries the idea that “everyone’s strong passions and obsessions intersect, and from that collision, new culture is born“!
It takes place at YOKOHAMA WORLD PORTERS, 6F Halls A & B, open from 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM, with free admission 🎉
It’s easy to get to, too — about a 5-minute walk from Minatomirai Station or Bashamichi Station on the Minatomirai Line!
Organized by Village Vanguard Co., Ltd. — Event Details at YOKOHAMA WORLD PORTERS, Free Admission
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Organizer | Village Vanguard Co., Ltd. |
| Dates | Wednesday, September 2 – Friday, September 4, 2026 |
| Hours | 12:00 PM–8:00 PM |
| Venue | YOKOHAMA WORLD PORTERS, 6F Halls A & B (2-2-1 Shinko, Naka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa) |
| Admission | Free |
| Access | About a 5-minute walk from Minatomirai Station or Bashamichi Station (Minatomirai Line) |
About 120 Creators Gather — Here Are 3 Standouts to Watch 🎨
The venue will host roughly 120 creators spanning a huge range of genres — illustration, handmade goods, sofubi (soft vinyl figures), zines, apparel, general goods, and art pieces!
It’s a chance to buy exclusive goods and artwork directly from the creators themselves 😳
This time, we’re spotlighting 3 creators who caught our eye.
Meet kyo→ko, にせんちめんたる (Nisenchimentaru), and yozca
First up is kyo→ko.
Also active under the name “YELLOW JUNKIE,” their signature work is “Kiiroi Koretachi” (roughly, “These Yellow Guys”) — a series of nonsensical characters rendered entirely in yellow!
With no particular motif behind them, these are creatures that simply surface in the artist’s mind and fade away again — there’s something oddly addictive about just looking at them 😳
Next is にせんちめんたる (Nisenchimentaru).
Working under the theme “quietly present in everyday life,” this creator makes acrylic pieces that blend flatness with a sense of dimension, along with colorful illustrations.
The goal is to make pieces that hide in daily life — the kind of thing that makes you chuckle or catches your eye when you least expect it ✨
Last up is yozca.
Their signature work, “GOJJIRI,” is a plush creation made using a rug-tufting technique!
It’s a handmade plush that mashes up the motifs of “butts” and “kaiju monsters” (the name itself is a playful blend of “Gojira,” Japan’s word for Godzilla, and “oshiri,” meaning “butt”) — the appeal is all in the springy texture of the yarn and that irresistibly round, plump backside.
It works great as a keychain, but it’s just as fun displayed as a little object around your room 🧸
About 120 creators in total will be exhibiting, so be sure to check the official site to find other booths that catch your interest 🔍
Don’t Miss the POP Workshop, Either ✨
Beyond the market, you can also try the beginner-friendly “Villevan POP Workshop,” where you’ll learn how to make hand-drawn POP signs — the colorful, eye-catching promo signs commonly seen in Japanese retail stores.
There’s also a pop-up appearance from “Buibui Kawaii Mon Ichi” (“Cute Things Market”), an event that’s already been a hit in Osaka, Hyogo, and Tokyo — it’s shaping up to be a packed three days 🌈
If you’re curious, be sure to check out the full creator lineup on the official site 🛍️
Nisenchimentaru’s whole “quietly present in everyday life” vibe? I totally get it! If I ever spotted one of these pieces out in the wild, I’d definitely crack a smile 😌
🌈 In Summary 🌈
✅ VILLAGE VANGUARD FESTIVAL -vias JAM- debuts free of charge at YOKOHAMA WORLD PORTERS from Wednesday, September 2 through Friday, September 4, 2026
✅ The highlight is a market featuring roughly 120 creators — check the official site for the full lineup
✅ Plus plenty more, including a hands-on POP-making workshop
🔗 Source: Village Vanguard Co., Ltd. press release (PR TIMES)
© VILLAGE VANGUARD CO., All rights reserved.
A market with 120 creators?! There’s no way you could see it all in one day!
And it’s free admission too, which makes it even better — I’m already planning to scope out the booths I want to hit beforehand!