Summer in Vancouver has a special energy.
This summer, I experienced it inside the Vancouver Convention Centre at Anime Revolution — better known as Anirevo — surrounded by thousands of people who share a love for Japanese anime, games, music, and culture.
Cosplayers walked through the halls dressed as their favourite characters. Artists displayed their original artwork. Fans talked excitedly about the series they love. Japanese music played in the background.
For three days, a little piece of Japan seemed to exist right here in Vancouver.
And I discovered something I hadn’t quite expected.
Japan Is Much Bigger Than Anime
Anirevo is Vancouver’s largest anime convention, and this year’s event brought together more than 20,000 people over three days.
For someone who grew up in Japan, it was fascinating to see what Japanese culture looks like from the other side of the Pacific.
Of course, anime was everywhere.
But so was something else: a genuine curiosity and love for Japan itself.
As I walked around the convention, I saw things that made me smile.
Japanese truck and car magazines.
Japanese road signs.
Kimono.
Katana.
Omikuji fortune slips.
Omamori charms.
And even a business inspired by the design of a Japanese convenience store.
Some of these are things I might have walked past without a second thought when I was living in Japan.
To me, they were simply part of everyday life.
Here, they were something special.
That contrast stayed with me.
Sometimes, we don’t realize how fascinating our everyday culture can be until we see it through someone else’s eyes.
The People Behind the Products
I spent quite a bit of time talking with vendors at the convention, and that’s where I found one of my favourite parts of the experience.
I asked several of them how they sourced their Japanese products.
The answer was surprisingly similar.
They love Japan.
So, once a year, they travel to Japan themselves, search for products they believe people here will love, choose them by hand, and bring them back to Canada.
Some of them spoke fluent Japanese.
One person had spent part of their childhood in Japan and told me how much they had missed it ever since. They kept going back whenever they could.
As I listened to these stories, I realized that Anirevo wasn’t simply a gathering of anime fans.
It was a gathering of people connected by a love of Japan.
Anime may be the doorway.
But behind that doorway is a much bigger world.
And Then There Was Our Little Konjac Sponge
That was the environment we brought our Japanese konjac sponges into.
At first glance, a konjac sponge might not seem like the most obvious product for an anime convention.
But that’s exactly what made the experience so much fun.
We talked about how our sponge is made from natural konjac, how you can use it with just warm water, and how it provides gentle exfoliation without the need for soap.
And yes — because it is made from edible konjac, you could technically eat the dried sponge.
That fact got some memorable reactions.
One man stopped at our booth, became curious, and decided to buy one. He wasn’t the customer I would have predicted at all, which made the moment even more memorable.
Then there was a guy in a Luffy cosplay.
I gave him my little sales pitch.
He touched the sponge.
“WOW!”
Then again:
“OMG!”
His reaction was priceless.
We couldn’t stop laughing.
When a Konjac Sponge Became Part of the Cosplay Scene
One of my favourite moments happened when a group of stylish cosplayers stopped by our booth.
They posed for photos right underneath our Japanese KONJAC banner.
Somewhere out there, those photos are probably still making their way around social media.
I love that I don’t know exactly where they will end up.
Another customer who had visited our booth at a previous event came back and asked if they could film my sales pitch.
I was nervous.
My hands were actually shaking a little.
But I had so much fun doing it.
【Curious about konjac? Watch our live pitch from Anirevo】
And then there was our little konjac sponge theme song.
When someone heard it, they looked at us and shouted:
“YOU GUYS MADE A SONG?!”
Then they started dancing along with us.
These are the moments you don’t necessarily plan for at a trade show.
But they are the moments you remember.
One Customer Came Back the Next Day
Perhaps the sweetest moment happened with a cosplayer who purchased a konjac sponge during the convention.
The next day, she came back to our booth.
She wanted to tell us that she had tried it.
And she said her makeup had gone on beautifully afterward.
That small comment meant a lot to me.
Because behind every product we bring from Japan, there is a simple hope:
that someone will discover it, enjoy it, and find it useful in their everyday life.
Sometimes that discovery happens at a trade show.
Sometimes it happens online.
And sometimes it happens because someone simply stops, picks something up, and says,
“What’s this?”
What Anirevo Taught Me
Before Anirevo, I thought I was going there to introduce people to our Japanese konjac sponges.
I left feeling that I had discovered something myself.
I discovered just how many people in North America have a genuine connection with Japan.
Some love anime.
Some love Japanese cars.
Some collect Japanese books, magazines, charms, or traditional items.
Some simply miss Japan.
And some are discovering Japan for the very first time.
Anime is often the bright, colourful doorway that brings people closer to Japan.
But beyond anime is a much bigger world of Japanese craftsmanship, food, design, traditions, everyday objects, and ideas.
At Anirevo, I saw all of those things existing side by side.
And for three days, we were lucky enough to be part of it.
A Little Bit of Japan for Your Everyday Life
This is what we have always wanted to do through AK JAPAN.
Not simply sell Japanese products.
But share the stories, craftsmanship, ideas, and everyday discoveries behind them.
Because sometimes the most interesting things about Japan aren’t the things we consider extraordinary.
Sometimes they are the simple things.
A charm.
A magazine.
A bowl.
A piece of food.
Or even a little sponge made from konjac.
Things that may feel completely ordinary in Japan can become a wonderful discovery somewhere else.
And that’s what makes connecting Japan with North America so exciting.
We bring a little bit of Japan into your everyday life.
And sometimes, you never know where that little discovery might lead.
Come See Us Next in Vancouver
Our next event will be the Vancouver Women’s Show!
📅 September 19–20, 2026
📍 Vancouver Convention Centre
🎪 Booth 401
If you’re in Vancouver or nearby, please come say hello.
Come see, touch, and — most importantly — squish a Japanese konjac sponge for yourself.
No soap required.
Just warm water.
Made from natural konjac.
Plastic-free.
Gentle exfoliation without harsh scrubbing.
And yes, you can technically eat it… although we recommend using it on your skin instead. 😊
You might just discover your next favourite little piece of Japan.
Konjac sponges are also available anytime at [shop.akjapan.ca].