our history
Tokyo Alley is a non-profit organisation founded in 2016 by Regina and Jeri, in collaboration with Bronwyn of Tokyo Underground and several other artists within the community.
During a time where Perth did not have its own local anime convention, Tokyo Alley has been on a mission ever since to make fun and accessible experiences for both artists and the fandom community. From humble beginnings, starting in the small back-room of Tokyo Underground’s original store with only 10 artists, Tokyo Alley has since grown exponentially in size and scale, now proudly hosting thousands of pop-culture enthusiasts in Western Australia.
Tokyo Alley 1
19 November 2016
Venue: Tokyo Underground
Artists: 10
Attendees: 50
It was a hot and sweltering weekend. Artists had to haul their suitcases up a steep flight of stairs, up to the back storage room of Tokyo Underground. The room was small and humid, but it was perfect for us. Tokyo Alley has continued to grow over the course of 5 years ever since!
Tokyo Alley 2
28 January 2017
Venue: Tokyo Underground
Artists: 10
Attendees: 60
Thanks to the success of the first Tokyo Alley, another event was hosted soon after. Whilst the weather, location, and scale was much the same as our debut event, it didn’t deter attendance numbers from growing.
Tokyo Alley 3
27-28 May 2017
Venue: Tokyo Underground
Artists: 20
Attendees: 55
After our first two events, Tokyo Alley saw a huge boost in returning community support. Our artist count literally doubled, all of us still fitting into that tiny backroom of Tokyo Underground. Tokyo Alley was quickly outgrowing itself!
Tokyo Alley 4
25 November 2017
Venue: Citiplace Community Centre
Artists: 33
Attendees: 90
Tokyo Alley 4 saw the first iteration of an official logo and, of course, the creation of our mascots, Touko and Sensei. Under our new venue at Citiplace Community Centre, Tokyo Alley’s artist count had tripled, and attendance doubled since our first event the previous year. Thanks to Tokyo Alley, the true scale of Perth artists and demand was now truly taking shape.
Tokyo Alley 5 | SAKURA MATSURI
28 April 2018
Venue: Citiplace Community Centre
Artists: 30+
Attendees: 100
Tokyo Alley 5 was the first event to have an official theme! Our mascots, Touko and Sensei, were also ‘dressed up’ for the occasion, with unique artwork designed for the event. This would start a tradition that has continued across all major Tokyo Alley events.
Tokyo Alley 6 | RETRO HARAJUKU
10 November 2018
Venue: Citiplace Community Centre
Artists: 36
Attendees: 125
Tokyo Alley 6 would be the last event that the original committee would host, as they would pass it on to the “next generation” of event directors!
Tokyo Alley 7 | HEROES
18 May 2019
Venue: Citiplace Community Centre
Artists: 38
Attendees: 200
This year saw a major rebrand of our logo into something more bold and punchy. The new implementation of our pink-yellow-blue branding is directly influenced by the original key art of our mascots, Touko and Sensei.
Tokyo Alley 8 | GALAXY
3 October 2020
Venue: Citiplace Community Centre
Artists: 49
Attendees: 600
Despite the hardships faced that year, Tokyo Alley continued to provide the community with the authentic artist alley experience; a reflection of our event origins. Due to increasing demand for expansion, it would be Tokyo Alley’s last time hosting a major event at Citiplace Community Centre after four memorable years.
Tokyo Alley 9 | TRAVEL
22 May 2021
Venue: South Perth Community Hall
Artists: 60
Attendees: 800
Tokyo Alley expanded to a larger venue at South Perth Community Hall, which allowed us to have more artists than ever before, with panels and stage entertainment for the first time, too!
Tokyo Market 1
4 December 2021
Venue: Citiplace Community Centre
Due to the evolution of our main event, it was time to go back to our roots! Tokyo Market is designed specifically to support entry-level artists so that they can launch themselves into the convention scene.
Tokyo Alley 10 | DREAMERS (5th Anniversary)
28 May 2022
Venue: Curtin Stadium
Artists: 141
Attendees: 2,100
Tokyo Alley turns 5 years old; it’s a day we’ve all been dreaming of! Our move to Curtin Stadium allowed us to meet the demand of our passional, growing community, boasting a bigger stage, more activities, and a space for over 100 artists!
Tokyo Market 2
1 October 2022
Venue: Citiplace Community Centre
Following the success and support from artists and attendees of the first event, Tokyo Market 2 returns to continue fostering entry-level artists, helping them launch into the convention scene!
Tokyo Alley 11 | Marine
20 May 2023
Venue: Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre
Artists: 200+
Attendees: 3,200
Guest: TiGERA (Malaysia)
Tokyo Alley makes it’s big move to the Perth Convention & Exhibiton Centre, WA’s largest venue! With over 200 artists and 3,200 attendees, it marks Tokyo Alley as the largest single-day numbers for a local pop-culture convention.
Tokyo Market 3
14 October 2023
Venue: State Theatre Courtyard
Due to the overwhelming number of artists interested and attendee turnout, Tokyo Market 3 happily moved to a larger venue, introducing exciting sing and dance performances, as well as a vibrant cosplay parade!
Tokyo Alley 12 | Adventure
13 April 2024
Venue: Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre
Artists: 208
Attendees: 4,200
Guest: Benjamin Ee (Melbourne, Australia)
Tokyo Alley returns to the Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre, WA’s largest venue! Featuring over 200 artists and 4,000 attendees, this year’s event surpasses last year’s in both scale and excitement, with even more activities and stage events for everyone!
Tokyo Market 4
12 October 2024
Venue: State Theatre Courtyard
