From February 20 to 23, 2026, Tokyo's Yoyogi Park hosted the SAKANA & JAPAN FESTIVAL 2026, and within it, a campaign called the "#CatDayChallenge" drew major attention from festivalgoers of all ages. The campaign, timed around Cat Day (February 22), brought together 75 celebrities, athletes, and social media influencers who transformed themselves into "Nyanfluencers" — costumed as cats — to encourage visitors to eat fish dishes sourced from Fukushima, Tohoku, and Hokkaido as a form of disaster recovery support. The event concluded with the combined follower counts of participating accounts exceeding 2.86 million.
Event Highlights
1. Cat Transformations Across Generations and Borders
At the dedicated booth within the festival grounds, students from Amazing School JUR offered cat makeup sessions, while students from Tokyo Mode Gakuen provided cat hairstyle arrangements. Cat-ear headbands and paw-shaped gloves were also available to borrow, allowing anyone to participate in the fun.
Cat hairstyle arrangements in progress
Cat makeup being applied
Children were among the most enthusiastic participants, their eyes lighting up at their first cat makeovers as the venue filled with warm laughter.
Children transformed into cats ①
Children transformed into cats ②
Children transformed into cats ③
Children transformed into cats ④
Participation was not limited to children — people of all generations joined in, sharing before-and-after photos with friends and family to great amusement.
Cat makeup participants of all generations ①
Cat makeup participants of all generations ②
Cat makeup participants of all generations ③
Cat makeup participants of all generations ④
Cat makeup participants of all generations ⑤
Inbound tourists also joined enthusiastically. With "CAT & FISH" as a shared language that crossed cultural barriers, the event provided an opportunity for international visitors to engage with Japanese food culture and the recovery effort.
International participants ①
International participants ②
A total of 75 Nyanfluencers — former national-level athletes, social media influencers, idols, dancers, and more — transformed into cats and roamed the festival grounds, eating fish dishes and energizing the crowd.
The Nyanfluencers ①
The Nyanfluencers ②
The Nyanfluencers ③
2. High-Energy Dance Performances
On February 22 — Cat Day itself — three Nyanfluencer dancers took to the stage in full cat makeup and performed a high-octane routine. Their dynamic choreography and acrobatic moves wowed the crowd and drew cheers throughout the venue.
Dance performance ①
Dance performance ②
Dance performance ③
3. A Proven Formula: Entertainment Meets Social Contribution
The #CatDayChallenge is part of a broader "#EatToSupport" project, which marks 15 years since the Great East Japan Earthquake by encouraging people to eat fish dishes from Fukushima, Tohoku, and Hokkaido as a simple, accessible way to contribute to recovery.
By pairing the serious theme of disaster recovery with the playful fun of cat makeup, the campaign succeeded in drawing in younger audiences and families who might otherwise feel a high psychological barrier to participating in support activities.
Through posts by the 75 Nyanfluencers, the hashtags "#猫の日チャレンジ" (#CatDayChallenge) and "#食べて応援" (#EatToSupport) reached a combined follower count of over 2.86 million, amplifying awareness and extending the circle of support.
Looking Ahead: A New Standard for Entertainment and Social Contribution
The event demonstrated that having influencers, athletes, and performers "engage with social issues while having fun" resonates deeply with audiences. Based on this result, the following directions have been outlined for the future:
1. Nationwide Rollout of "Local Revitalization x ●●fluencer"
Building on the success at Yoyogi Park, plans are in place to partner with local governments and producers around Japan. The "#EatToSupport" format will be expanded into a series of regional events, each pairing local food with community support to create a direct economic impact on regional economies.
2. Expanded Brand and Corporate Partnerships for Cat Day
Leveraging the combined reach of over 2.86 million followers, collaborations with brands that support the initiative's mission are being explored. The next edition is planned with an expanded target of more than 222 Nyanfluencers, aiming to maximize the social impact of the campaign.
3. Establishing a "Social Entertainment Platform"
The vision is to build a sustainable platform where the positive energy of entertainment is channeled toward disaster recovery and regional challenges, enabling influencer talent to be returned to society in a meaningful way.
