Guide · Akihabara

Part of: Anime Events in Tokyo, Oct 2026–Mar 2027

Comiket 109 Guide for Visitors: Dates, Wristbands, Cosplay Rules, and How Not to Waste the Day

Comiket 109 runs on 29, 30 and 31 December 2026 at Tokyo Big Sight. Every visitor needs a wristband, or a ticket exchanged for one, sold separately for each day. The organisers will publish C109's prices and sales schedule in late October or early November. Genres change completely every day, so check which day your fandom is on. I run private anime tours in Akihabara most weeks, and this is what I tell guests flying in for Comiket.

Comic Market is a market, not a convention: independent "circles" selling self-published works, plus company booths and cosplay areas. For the winter 2025 market, the organisers report circle applications in the tens of thousands. The rules below exist because of its size, and following them is what keeps it free of chaos.

When and where is Comiket 109?

29 to 31 December 2026, at Tokyo Big Sight in Ariake. The official schedule says circles sell from 10:30 to 16:00. East Halls 4 to 6 are closed for renovation, so the event uses the other halls. Every day has a different set of genres and circles.

The full list of other anime events this season, including Jump Festa and the AnimeJapan move to Osaka, is in anime events in Tokyo. For the rest of your Tokyo days, my Akihabara anime tour covers the doujin shops that sell event titles after the market.

How do you get into Comiket?

With a wristband or a ticket you exchange for one. Free entry is not available. At C108 the options were Early Entry from 10:30, AM entry from 11:00 and PM entry from 12:30, each sold per day, and only PM wristbands were sold on site, at a higher price and with long waits. C109 is expected to be similar.

The organisers say C109's details, including prices, will be published in late October or early November, before Early Entry tickets go on sale, and that other ticket types go on sale about a month before the event. Follow the official X account if you are planning around it.

What are the cosplay rules at Comiket?

Change only in the official Cosplay Changing Rooms, after entering the event, and pay the registration fee (¥500 at C108; one child up to 9th grade free with a paying adult). Do not arrive or leave in costume, and never change in the toilets. Ask each cosplayer's permission before taking a photo.

From the official C108 cosplay page:

• Arriving in costume can get you refused entry. The page explains that Japanese society generally does not accept people in costume in public.
• Last entry to change into costume was 15:30.
• Photography needs individual permission. Wait your turn, ask politely, and accept a no. Do not block walkways.
• Forbidden items include realistic replica weapons that break the law, flammables, large batteries and helium balloons; obviously fake props that are legal are allowed.

Akihabara's everyday photography rules, for the rest of your trip, are in photography etiquette in Japan.

Can foreigners sell at Comiket?

Only under strict conditions. The international page says circle participants must be individuals, may distribute only self-published works, must understand Japanese and follow Japanese-only manuals, need a Japanese phone contact and mailing address, and must have a Japanese speaker at the table. Applications for C109 have closed.

Companies participate through the corporate booth area, and overseas companies must apply through a Japanese agent. Private bloggers, YouTubers and streamers cannot register as press; filming for personal or hobby purposes does not qualify.

What should first-timers know?

Pick your day by genre, buy the right wristband for that day, come by train, and do not queue overnight. The organisers prohibit arriving near the venue the day before, including overnight, and ask everyone to use public transport. Rinkai line Kokusai-Tenjijō is about seven minutes' walk; Yurikamome Tokyo Big Sight about three.

This is the honest section. Comiket is enormous, crowded and cold in late December, and most of what is sold is in Japanese. It is unforgettable if you have a fandom and a list of circles; it is overwhelming if you go to "see what it is like". Bring cash for circles, small notes and coins, and a bag for your purchases. If you miss something, Akihabara's doujin shops, such as Melonbooks, may stock event titles later; Akihabara manga stores has where they are.

Frequently asked questions

When is Comiket 109? 29 to 31 December 2026, at Tokyo Big Sight.

Do you need a ticket for Comiket? Yes. Everyone needs a wristband or a ticket exchanged for one. Free entry is not available.

When do Comiket 109 tickets go on sale? The organisers say details will be published in late October or early November 2026, before Early Entry tickets go on sale, with other ticket types about a month before the event.

Can I wear cosplay to Comiket? Only after changing in the official Cosplay Changing Rooms inside the event. Arriving or leaving in costume is not allowed.

Is Comiket the same every day? No. Genres and circles change completely each day, so check which day your fandom is on.

Three days at Big Sight, one day in Akihabara

If you are in Tokyo for Comiket and want a day for the rest of your fandom, Adventure in Akihabara with Anime is my private half-day walk, three to four hours, planned around the anime you name and 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 is either a qualification or a warning depending on your point of view.

See the Akihabara anime tour →

Sources: Comic Market Preparations Committee, Comic Market 109: Information for International Participants (dates; wristband or ticket required; C109 details in late October or early November; other tickets about a month before; genres change daily; East Halls 4–6 closed; cosplay rules; circle and corporate participation; press rules; updated 26 August 2026), Tickets for Comic Market 108 (per-day tickets; Early 10:30, AM 11:00, PM 12:30; on-site PM wristbands more expensive), Information for Cosplayers (C108) (¥500 registration; child rule; last change 15:30; photography; forbidden items), and C109 information (circle hours 10:30–16:00; no overnight queuing; public transport; station walking times) and C109 schedule (circle applications for C107 in the tens of thousands). All checked 4 October 2026. C109 prices are not given because they have not been published.