Airsoft? What Airsoft? Get me a water gun and a plane ticket to Tokoname, Japan for the 1st August. Why? The photo above should be one very good reason why. If you want a gun fight in the heat of summer, I'd be willing to trade in my airsoft gun for a water gun. And Rinku Beach, Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture, Japan will be hosting an epic Water Battle Royale.

The event, called the Water Fes 2015, is a full water festival where adults can just go and blast (or squirt) each other out in the Water Battle where the last man or woman standing gets to win JPY100,000 (around US$800).

According to the organisers, the Water Fes was put together for Japan to have a fun festival to offer to the world. Italy has the "Tomatina" or Tomato Throwing Festival that is world famous but tomatoes are precious in Japan and thus, they'd rather have a festival with what they have in abundance as an island-nation, and that is water.

The Water Battle Royale of Water Fes 2015 is the main event. Men and women in their beach wear and their beach bodies, all armed and dangerous with water guns try to knock each other out by taking out the paper targets that are strapped to their foreheads. If your paper target gets hit and washed away by a water gun, off the game you go. You can do some initial alliances to survive in the initial skirmishes, but as the players get whittled down to a few, it will be every man for himself, ala Hunger Games. You get to join either in the Team and Individual Water Battle Competitions.

Access to Rinku Beach, which is an artificial beach, is easy. It is actually just right off the Chūbu Centrair International Airport and a 10-minute walk from the Meitetsu Rinku Tokoname Station. The airport itself was also built on an artificial island rather than built on precious land on the mainland.

Apart from the Water Battle, there is a Lotion Battle though the mechanics at their website is a little vague on how this works. But there are more festivities with music and foam to spread the love around under the summer sun. The party will go on rain or shine, only a typhoon will stop the revelers.

Tickets are cheaper for women which is JPY2,500/US$20 (will be JPY3,000/US$24 by July) while men are charged JPY5,500/US$44 (will be JPY6,000/US$48 by July). If you are not equipped with your own water gun, they have a "Weapon Shop" where you can choose your water gun from their fine selection water blasters.

The Water Fes 2015 should be a good respite from the seriousness of milsim events and all the myriads of airsoft games that take place in summer, if you can afford a trip to Japan. Time to strip off from those BDUs and tactical gear, get into a different fighting load and it will be as fun.

Hat tip to our reader from Japan, Kenji, for the link and info.