The furry fandom is a subculture interested in fictional anthropomorphic animal characters and their portrayal in pop culture. Although the tradition of endowing animal characters with human characteristics and personalities is not new (take, for example, fairy tales), the concept of furry originated at a sci-fi convention in the early 1980s. The first independent gathering of furry fans (a furry convention) was held in the US in 1989.
The Japan Meeting of Furries is not the first furry convention in Japan. Its predecessors and counterparts include TransFur (held in Kawasaki from 2005 to 2007), Kemocon (held in Kawasaki since 2007) and Fur-st (held in Tokyo since 2011). Besides, there are several irregular and narrowly-themed conventions. However, it is the Japan Meeting of Furries that is the country’s largest furry convention in terms of attendance.
The JMoF was founded in 2012 as Japans’s first hotel-based furry convention. The inaugural edition was held from January 12–14, 2013 and attracted 100 attendees. Its attendance has been growing steadily ever since. For instance, JMoF 2016 had 588 attendees. The inaugural convention was held in the city of Hikone, Shiga Prefecture. The next year the event was moved to Toyohashi, Aichi Prefecture.
The Japan Meeting of Furries is popular not only among Japanese furry fans. It attracts visitors from other Asian countries (for example, Taiwan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia) as well as furry fans from around the globe (Finland, the United States, Australia, Germany, Panama, Sweden).
The program of the event is similar to that of other furry conventions. It features workshops and seminars dedicated to costume building, acting and art, a fursuit parade and a group photo shoot for fursuiters, gaming tournaments, dance competitions, panel discussions, parties, etc. There’s also the traditional charity auction. All proceedings from the auction are donated to Toyohashi Zoo & Botanical Park, also known as Nonhoi Park.
Photo: sgfurs.com
