A community craft fair... On steroids!

Let's see.... A craft fair needs similar things around the world.

1.  A venue large enough for the attendees. The Tokyo Big Site should do with 80000 square meters. Today there were 10 000 artists, sculptors, painters, photographers, dancers, painters, actors.

2. It needs people to come and buy the crafts. How about 100000 people over two days? How about clients who are just as interesting as the vendors?

Do you believe in angels?

Or the formal twins?

Or Ms. Box Head?

And then of course any number of "cosplay" clients:

And add to that mix any and every other kind of eccentric outfit and you will get a feel for the attendees at the Design Fiesta; not quite the Kootenays!

Another box head....

Cute...

Antique...

And multiply by 100000 and you'll get the gist of who was there today.

3. So we have the venue, we have the clients... And what will they buy? Here are some suggestions for that hard to buy for person in your life:

- huge paintings the size of your bedroom wall being painted in front of your eyes

- a worm person?

Or plastic cats in snail shells?

Or any number of nightmare monsters:

Or plastic dolls of men with fish or sushi for heads?

Or perhaps the exact model of your block in Tokyo In miniature? (Check out my finger for size!)

Or maybe you have been looking everywhere for a frog with boxing gloves?

The ring holder you always wanted...

Or those princesses for the window sill...

How I ended up here is that I was fascinated by the work of John, from New Jersey and husband of Liz, one of my colleagues, who moved to Tokyo to make figures and sell them. Over three years he has created a niche for himself. Collectors lineup at his stall first thing in the morning to pay serious money for his newly painted figures of the year. He moved to Tokyo because this is where the serious collectors are. He makes quite a good living designing, we're producing, and selling these figures. Check them out.

Yesterday was apparently the serious day. That's when he had his new releases and many other stalls Also had new releases. Serious collectors could spend extra money to buy an early bird ticket to queue up for two hours to buy what they wanted. He said he did really well and raked in the cash yesterday.

4. So, for the well-planned craft fair you need the venue, check! You need clients, check! You need creative artists to sell things, check! All yes, we can't forget the entertainment! A little folk music? Naaaa... Not in Tokyo!

You absolutely need some ninja screaming and sword playing:

You need a play about ultra wrestling and death.

Oh yes, and let's not forget the intense yelling punk band outside on the food court just to set the right mood!

I left the event with my mind totally boggled once again by the vibrancy of this city. This was a huge world in itself that represents only a fraction of what was happening today in the city.