All good things must come to an end, which also goes for the Kamen Rider 50 Years Exhibition. The final venue, announced to open in Kagoshima, Japan, has been billed as Kamen Rider Exhibition FINAL.
Since March 2022, the Kamen Rider 50 Years Exhibition has been on a road trip through the major cities of the country, starting in Nagoya, and slowly making its way down to the southern tip of mainland Japan.
The seaside town of Kagoshima will be the next and, ultimately, last home for the Kamen Rider Exhibition, where it will close its doors after two years of delivering boot kicking nostalgia.
What is the Exhibition?
The Kamen Rider 50 Years Exhibition is an experience meant to remind attendees “of their own past!” and covers all generations of its rich history, from the humble beginnings of the Showa era, to the franchise’s dramatic revitalisation in the Heisei era, all the way to the colourful and bombastic heroes of the Reiwa era.
Now in its second year of touring across Japan, the showcase remains one of the biggest collections of Kamen Rider history, honouring the legacy Shotaro Ishinomori and Toei created over half a century ago.
Like a neverending abundance of powerups, guests can explore how the franchise has grown stronger and stronger throughout the years; dazzling at the lineage of costumes or getting one step closer to that dream henshin with the Rider belts on display.
Being a giant commemoration of everything Kamen Rider, the show features almost every live action suit produced, authentic props of the weapons and belts, artwork, original toys manufactured between 1971 and 2024, and even a faithful recreation of the DenLiner interior for guests to look around.
Visitors can also peruse the exclusive merch store, with anniversary memorabilia such as t-shirts and an Exhibition Memorial book.
Even a perfume was made for the event!
Special Guests
While the suits on display may not be moving around, that same can’t be said for the actual stars of Kamen Rider.
Each locale has invited various Kamen Rider alumni to visit as special guests. Tokyo’s venue saw appearances made by then-current Rider Hideyoshi Kan (Kamen Rider Geats), and Kentaro Maeda (Kamen Rider Revice), alongside the very first Kamen Rider Hiroshi Fujioka (Kamen Rider 1) joining his successors.
Special ambassadors are also appointed to each venue. The recent Saitama city exhibition appointed Seiji Takaiwa, the stuntman behind the lead Heisei Riders from Agito to Zi-O, as it’s official ambassador in March.
Kagoshima will equally have an ambassador for it’s Kamen Rider Exhibition, with the official website announcing on June 28th that Gotchard’s Reiyo Matsumoto (Kamen Rider Majade) would be representing the event.
I will be serving as the Kagoshima Special Ambassador for ‘The Kamen Rider Exhibition’, being held in my hometown of Kagoshima! I am very happy to be able to serve as the ambassador for the Kamen Rider Exhibition while playing the role of Rinne Kudo/Kamen Rider Majade in the currently airing Kamen Rider Gotchard’
Reiyo Matusomoto as quoted from the official exhibition site
Kamen Rider Exhibition FINAL will open to the public July 13th, at the Reimeikan Museum, in Kagoshima. New additions to the show, such as Geats and Gotchard displays, will also be on view. Tickets are on sale now, with a Memorial Medal Collection bundle available at an extra cost. The summer event will last until August 25th, so this will be your last chance at visiting this once in a lifetime celebration of 50 years of Kamen Rider history!
Are you hoping to see the exhibition if you’re living/travelling in Japan? Which suit or prop would you like to see the most? Let us know in the comments below!
