Carrying on the Tradition, UNNES Japanese Language Department Successfully Hosts Nimats 2026 Once Again

Nimats (Nihon Matsuri) is a Japanese-themed event organized by the Japanese Language Department at Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES). The event is held annually around the end of May and features a variety of guests associated with Japanese culture, such as cosplayers, Japanese-based Idols, and some influencers. It is typically held in the B1 Open Field (Lapangan Terbuka B1) at the Faculty of Languages and Arts (Fakultas Bahasa dan Seni (FBS)). This year’s Nimats continues the annual tradition.

In 2026, as usual, Nimats was held in an open field, featuring guest star Anizuchie on May 24, 2026. This year’s Nimats was a bit quieter than in previous years, but visitor enthusiasm remained high, as evidenced by the large number of cosplayers who participated.

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The layout of the event remained unchanged from the previous year, with merchandise and food stands located in front of B11 Building and the main stage set up in the open field. As mentioned earlier, a wide variety of cosplayers livened up the event, ranging from those showcasing Japanese pop culture costumes such as anime, video games, tokusatsu, and others.

According to one of the committee members from the talent preparation division of Nihon Matsuri, there were slight differences in the talent recruitment process this year.

“For the drama performance, we recruited not only students from the Japanese Language Department, but also opened opportunities for students from other departments and faculties at UNNES. Meanwhile, for the odori performance, we only recruited students from the Japanese Language Department,” they explained. They also added that the committee prioritized talents who already had dancing experience for the odori performance.

In preparing the talents’ performances, the committee also carried out various technical preparations to ensure the event ran smoothly. “We made sure the talents stayed fit before the festival, coordinated with the soundman regarding the audio files, ensured the stage was comfortable to use, and prepared costumes, makeup, and props so they would not interfere with the performance,” they said.

According to them, one of the things that makes Nihon Matsuri different from other Japanese cultural festivals is the drama performance, which is always highly anticipated by visitors. “The drama performance in Nihon Matsuri usually tells the background story of the icons or main theme presented each year, and that is what makes visitors curious and excited to watch it,” they stated.

Behind the event preparations, the committee also faced various challenges in handling the large number of talents involved. “There were talents who were difficult to contact, some complained about the costumes, and there were even some who suddenly withdrew when the festival date was already approaching,” they revealed.

One of the main highlights of this year’s Nimats was the appearance of guest star Anizuchie. As she mentioned in her statement, the Selebgram has been actively involved in the cosplay scene for a long time, so inviting her was seen as the right move and not out of place.

Anizuchie came to Nimats dressed as Yuki Tsukumo, a character from the anime Jujutsu Kaisen. When we interviewed several visitors, they unanimously said that Anizuchie’s cosplay was excellent and perfectly matched the character from the anime.

One of the visitors interviewed at the Nimats 2026 event was Naufal, an English major who had also attended Nimats the previous year. According to him, one of the main reasons he returned this year was the event’s location within the UNNES Faculty of Languages and Arts, as well as the possibility that Nimats 2026 might be the last event he could attend as a student, since he is currently in his final semester.

When asked about the differences between this year’s Nimats and last year’s, Naufal felt that overall, the event’s organization standards remained relatively the same as the previous year. However, he noted that weather conditions made a significant difference. While last year’s event was briefly disrupted by rain, this year’s weather was more favorable, allowing activities to proceed more smoothly.

When it comes to the most memorable part, Naufal feels that it wasn’t just the guest star performances or the cosplay that impressed him, but rather the sense of camaraderie that prevailed throughout the event. In his view, the opportunity to meet new people, make friends, and interact with fellow fans of Japanese culture was the most valuable experience of this year’s Nimats.

Additionally, Naufal also noticed an increase in participation from outside the Japanese culture community. Based on his observations, many new visitors joined in the festivities, indicating that interest in Japanese culture is growing and is no longer limited to specific communities. He views this as a positive development for the event’s future sustainability.

As a fan of Japanese cultural events, Naufal hopes that the organizers can continue to maintain the quality and standards of the event that have been established so far. He also hopes that Nimats will continue to feature guest stars who have a significant influence and are able to attract more visitors, so that the event can continue to grow and maintain its status as one of the most popular Japanese cultural festivals in Semarang and the surrounding area.

That concludes the summary of the Nimats 2026 event held at UNNES. This annual event was highly successful in strengthening the bonds of the Japanese subculture community in Semarang and the surrounding areas. One of the organizers hopes that Nimats can become even better and more vibrant. It should not merely be a formal event but also serve to present and introduce Japanese culture in a broad and inclusive manner.

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