Oxford Circus Becomes Shibuya

Cosplayers Open Famous London Crossing

November 2nd was an exciting day for London, as its famous Oxford Circus crossing was re-opened with a new design. Based on the Shibuya crossing in Tokyo, the new design allows pedestrians to cross the street diagonally, getting rid of the typical people-crush many tourists experience when they visit the landmark.

A Team of British cosplayers were asked to take part in the official opening ceremony - characters including Sailor Moon, Mio and Sheryl Nome pulled a giant red ribbon in the shape of an 'X' over the crossing to mark the occasion.

The event was accompanied by the sound of taiko drums from famous Japanese musician Joji Hirota and the mayor of London, Boris Johnson, banged a giant gong to open the crossing.

In a country where cosplay is mostly unknown by the wider public, this was a landmark occasion for UK cosplayers.

The ceremony was organised by Westminster Council, Cross Media and the Grand Cosplay Ball. The Grand Cosplay Ball is an international cosplay event taking place in London on November 29th.

Contact information: http://www.grandcosplayball.com







Photos by Pat Lyttle