2,500 m² and 40 creators
Dai Yokai attended Nuit Japonaise #7 in Lille on 28 and March 29, 2026 at GARAGE on boulevard Carnot.
The event focused on Japanese culture through crafts, music, food, vintage objects and workshops. I brought masks and pieces straight from the workshop.
At the stand, visitors could inspect the finishes, compare sizes, ask about wearing or displaying a mask and buy a piece available at the event.
GARAGE Les Lillois, 34 boulevard Carnot, 59800 Lille.
The venue is about a four-minute walk from Lille Flandres station, with metro, bus and bicycle parking nearby.
In 2026, day tickets cost €5 in advance and €6 at the door, weekend tickets cost €8, tickets for children aged 6 to 12 cost €3, and admission was free under six.
Ticketing for the 2026 edition was handled through Billetweb.
What Dai Yokai brought to the stand
The workshop was busy during the preparation period. Nuit Japonaise was when the pieces left the workbench and met their future owners in person.
Visitors could find the following at the stand:
Full masks: red, blue and black Oni, white and gold crackled Hannya with a Kintsugi-inspired finish, white and black Kitsune, and long-nosed red Tengu. Each piece is printed in PETG, sanded and painted by hand in my workshop in Brittany.
Mempo half masks: the samurai format, with Oni, Tengu and Hannya covering the lower face in a form inspired by menpo armour. The compact format is often practical for cosplayers and glasses wearers.
Kitsune figures: an Inari fox form for a desk or shelf rather than a wall mask.
Raw DIY models: unpainted masks cleaned after printing for people who want to apply their own finish. Tattoo artists, makers and cosplayers can use them as creative supports.
Engraved wood creations: newer pieces developed alongside the mask work.
The main advantage of an event is being able to handle pieces, try them on and compare sizes and finishes before buying. It is also a chance to discuss the making process, inspirations and realistic custom requests directly with me.
Festival programme: the main highlights
Nuit Japonaise #7 was more than a creators market. The 2026 edition offered a full two-day programme.
🎶 Traditional music concerts
Fumie Hihara played the koto, a thirteen-string Japanese zither, while Mitsuno Bamboo performed on the shinobue transverse bamboo flute. The two instruments created very different atmospheres, one stately and one airy.
🍡 Live cooking demonstration
Kiyomi prepared a grilled sweet mochi speciality from Dazaifu filled with anko, red bean paste. The stage presentation explained the preparation techniques in a live cooking format.
📸 Jive in Tokyo photo exhibition
Photographer Djavanshir N. presented a series about the Japanese rockabilly scene, with portraits of dancers in leather jackets and carefully styled hair in Tokyo's Yoyogi Park.
🎬 Tokusatsu cinema
Roboto Films scheduled five Japanese film screenings across the weekend, including Kamen Rider, Gamera and other genre films.
🥋 Free workshops
The programme included Japanese calligraphy, language introductions, origami, Japanese games for children and aikido sessions with Dojo Aikido Provin Meishinkan, all free during the weekend.
🍜 Japanese street food
Food and drink stands included Peko Peko, Crowntea, Chef Misato, Oh! Mochi, Toha Melon Pan, Maison Satori and the Petit Konbini bar.
Other exhibitors worth seeing
More than forty creators took part. These are some of the stands that stood out through their craft, subject or visual approach.
Koji Japon brought vintage kimono, Kokeshi and old ceramics, giving visitors access to genuine second-hand objects.
Paiheme Studio presented Pierre-Marie Postel's retro-Japanese illustration world, shaped by the visual language of 1960s Japanese advertising.
Tattoo artists Maxime Demarez Tattoo, Koa and Rasenk offered Japanese and irezumi flash designs.
Traditional crafts included tsumami-zaiku silk flowers, Hagi-yaki ceramics, aizome indigo textiles, kintsugi and furoshiki.
Why I take part
Nuit Japonaise is not a generic sales fair. The Petit Konbini team selects creators whose stands present original work rather than mass-market reselling.
For me, the event is mainly a chance to meet people who live with my masks: returning customers, cosplayers, tattoo artists using raw models as visual references and visitors discovering that a Japanese mask carries more history and visual meaning than a generic decorative object.
For future editions, visitors looking for a specific piece should come early because some finishes are prepared in very small numbers for the stand.
How to get there
By train: Lille Flandres station, then about four minutes on foot towards boulevard Carnot.
By metro: Gare Lille Flandres station on lines 1 and 2.
By car: nearby car parks include Euralille and Parking Carnot. Bicycle parking is available outside GARAGE.
Address: GARAGE Les Lillois, 34 boulevard Carnot, 59800 Lille.
For future editions, advance tickets help avoid queues and confirm access before travelling.
Frequently asked questions
When did Nuit Japonaise #7 take place in Lille?
The 2026 edition took place on 28 and 29 March at GARAGE, 34 boulevard Carnot, Lille.
What could visitors see at the Dai Yokai stand?
Visitors could compare Oni, Hannya, Kitsune and Tengu masks, Mempo half masks, a few raw models and decorative pieces depending on available stock.
Was the event suitable for families?
Yes. The programme included workshops, Japanese street food and child tickets, with free admission for children under six.
Can Dai Yokai be found at other events?
Yes. Upcoming conventions and shows are listed on the Dai Yokai events page.
The 2026 edition has ended
Nuit Japonaise #7 took place on 28 and March 29, 2026 at GARAGE in Lille. See the events page to find Dai Yokai at a future show.