Guide · Akihabara

Part of: Anime Places to Visit in Tokyo: 9 Real Spots

Anime Events in Tokyo, October 2026 to March 2027: Dates, Venues, and the One That Moved to Osaka

The big anime-fan dates in and around Tokyo this season are the Ikebukuro Halloween Cosplay Fest (30 October to 1 November 2026), the animation section of the Tokyo International Film Festival (26 October to 4 November), Jump Festa 2027 at Makuhari Messe (19–20 December), and Comiket 109 at Tokyo Big Sight (29–31 December). AnimeJapan 2027 is not in Tokyo: it moves to Intex Osaka on 27–28 March 2027. I run private anime tours in Akihabara most weeks, and every date here is from the event's own site.

If you are planning a trip around an event, the order of work is: check the dates below, check whether you need an advance ticket, and only then book flights. Two of these need advance planning; one is in a different city from the one most guides say.

Which anime events are on in Tokyo from October 2026 to March 2027?

Five worth planning around, checked on each official site on 4 October 2026. Four are in or next to Tokyo; one, AnimeJapan, has moved to Osaka for 2027. Akihabara itself runs every day of the year, and a free day there fits around any of them; my Akihabara anime tour is how I fill that day for guests.

When is Comiket 109, and how do you get in?

Comiket 109 runs on 29, 30 and 31 December 2026 at Tokyo Big Sight, three days instead of the recent two. Circles sell from 10:30 to 16:00. Entry works with advance tickets and wristbands as at Comiket 102 to 108; the organisers say C109's entry details will be published in early November.

A few things the official page states plainly, and which visitors miss:

• East Halls 4 to 6 are closed for building renovation, so the event is spread across the remaining halls.
• Do not camp overnight. Arriving near the venue the day before, including overnight, is prohibited.
• Come by public transport. The organisers ask people not to come by car, bike or taxi. The nearest stations are Kokusai-Tenjijō on the Rinkai line (about 7 minutes' walk) and Tokyo Big Sight on the Yurikamome (about 3 minutes' walk).
• There is an overseas visitors' page on the official site. Read it before you go.

Comiket is not an anime convention in the Western sense. It is a market where thousands of independent creators sell their own work, much of it fan works. Doujin culture is the reason Akihabara has whole floors of doujin shops, and Akihabara etiquette covers how to behave on those floors.

Is AnimeJapan 2027 in Tokyo?

No. AnimeJapan 2027 is at Intex Osaka. The public days are Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 March 2027, 9:00 to 17:00, with a business day on Friday 26 March. AnimeJapan has usually been held at Tokyo Big Sight, and a lot of travel advice still assumes it. For 2027 that is wrong.

This is the honest section, because it is the mistake that costs the most. If you booked a Tokyo hotel for late March 2027 around AnimeJapan, you now need either a day trip or a night in Osaka. The upside is that Osaka has its own otaku district, and Akihabara will still be here before or after.

What happens at the Ikebukuro Halloween Cosplay Fest?

Cosplayers and photographers take over Ikebukuro for three days. The 30 October evening event at Sunshine City is for ages 18 and over; on 31 October and 1 November it runs from 10:00 to 18:00 across the Ikebukuro area, with stages, a parade and changing rooms. Cosplayers register through the official site.

Coming to watch is the easy version. Coming in costume means following the event's own rules, including where you may change and when photography is allowed; the official site lists the photography hours for each day. Ikebukuro is also a good anime shopping district in its own right; how it compares with Akihabara is in Akihabara vs Nakano vs Ikebukuro.

Is Jump Festa in Tokyo?

Next to it. Jump Festa 2027 is on 19 and 20 December 2026 at Makuhari Messe, which is in Chiba, about 30 to 40 minutes from central Tokyo by train. It is the festival for Weekly Shōnen Jump series, and the official site lists its booths, stage events and goods as they are announced.

Plan Makuhari as a full day, not a half day. If Jump series are your fandom, the rest of your trip can include the floors in Akihabara that stock them; where to buy anime figures in Akihabara explains how those shops work.

Do you need to book anything in advance?

For Comiket and the big expos, plan on advance tickets, and check each official site for when they go on sale. Akihabara itself needs nothing booked. The things in Tokyo that sell out regardless of events, such as the Ghibli Museum, are covered in what to book before your Tokyo trip.

Event weeks also fill hotels near the venues and on the lines that serve them. If you are travelling for Comiket in late December, remember that the New Year holiday follows straight after, and some smaller shops close for a few days around 1 January. The best time to visit Akihabara covers which dates are busiest in the district itself.

Frequently asked questions

When is Comiket 109? 29 to 31 December 2026, at Tokyo Big Sight. Circles sell from 10:30 to 16:00. Entry details are due in early November on the official site.

Where is AnimeJapan 2027? At Intex Osaka, not in Tokyo. The public days are 27 and 28 March 2027.

When is Jump Festa 2027? 19 and 20 December 2026, at Makuhari Messe in Chiba.

Are there anime events in Tokyo in October 2026? Yes. The Ikebukuro Halloween Cosplay Fest runs from 30 October to 1 November, and the Tokyo International Film Festival, which has an Animation section, runs from 26 October to 4 November.

Can I visit Akihabara during Comiket? Yes. Akihabara is open as usual and is a short train ride from Tokyo Big Sight. Doujin shops there often stock event titles later, but nothing replaces buying at the market itself.

Build the trip around the event, and give Akihabara its own day

Events are fixed dates; Akihabara is there every day. If you want a day in the district planned around the anime you watch, Adventure in Akihabara with Anime is my private half-day walk, three to four hours, never shared with other guests. The price is on the tour page.

About the author. I am Yuuki, a Japanese teacher and Akihabara anime tour guide based in Tokyo. I run private anime tours here most weeks, rated 4.96★ on Airbnb across 171 reviews. I have watched over 1,500 anime series, which makes the December calendar dangerous for me too.

See the Akihabara anime tour →

Sources: Comic Market Preparations Committee, official site, C109 schedule and C109 information (29–31 December 2026, Tokyo Big Sight, East Halls 4–6 unavailable, circle hours 10:30–16:00, entry system follows C102–108 with details in early November, no overnight queuing, public transport only, station walking times); AnimeJapan, AnimeJapan 2027 outline (Intex Osaka, public days 27–28 March 2027 9:00–17:00, business day 26 March); Jump Festa, official site (19–20 December 2026, Makuhari Messe Halls 1–9 and 11); Ikebukuro Halloween Cosplay Fest Executive Committee, About (30 October 2026 Ikebukuro Night at Sunshine City, 18+; 31 October–1 November 10:00–18:00, Ikebukuro area); Tokyo International Film Festival, 39th TIFF (26 October – 4 November 2026; Animation section). All checked 4 October 2026. Travel time to Makuhari is the author's estimate.