Guide · Akihabara

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

Tokyo Comic Con 2026: Dates, Tickets, Guests and How to Get to Makuhari

Tokyo Comic Con 2026, the convention's 10th-anniversary edition, runs from Friday 11 to Sunday 13 December 2026 at Makuhari Messe International Exhibition Halls in Chiba. Entry tickets went on sale on 27 July 2026: day tickets by age, and a limited three-day pass. Children of primary-school age and under get in free with a guardian. Photo and autograph sessions with the celebrity guests need separate tickets, and an entry ticket as well. Announced guests include Mads Mikkelsen, Nicolas Cage, Charlie Cox, Vincent D'Onofrio and Giancarlo Esposito. I run private anime tours in Akihabara most weeks, and this is the Comic Con summary I give December visitors.

Tokyo Comic Con calls itself one of the world's largest pop-culture festivals: Hollywood guests, exhibitor booths, an artist alley, stages and cosplay, rather than an anime event.

When and where is Tokyo Comic Con 2026?

From 11 to 13 December 2026, at Makuhari Messe International Exhibition Halls, 2-1 Nakase, Mihama-ku, Chiba. The nearest station is Kaihin-Makuhari on the JR Keiyō line, about 30 minutes from Tokyo Station and then about five minutes on foot. From Akihabara, the official access page also suggests Makuhari-Hongō Station, about 40 minutes, then a bus of about 17 minutes.

Jump Festa is at the same venue the following weekend, 19 and 20 December. For both, and for the other December events, see anime events in Tokyo. For a day in Akihabara either side, my Akihabara anime tour.

How much are Tokyo Comic Con 2026 tickets?

From the official ticket page, tax included: advance day tickets cost 5,500 yen for adults, 1,000 yen for 18 and under, and 500 yen for 15 and under; the adult same-day price is 5,900 yen. A limited three-day pass costs 9,900 yen. Children of primary-school age and under enter free with a guardian.

Tickets are sold through TicketMe, Ticket Pia and the convention's own Hollycon site. Day tickets are valid only on their date, with re-entry that day; tickets are not refundable or changeable except if the event is cancelled. Age-based tickets may require ID on the day.

How do photo ops and autographs work?

They are sold separately from entry, and you need an entry ticket as well; the photo or autograph ticket does not include entry. The official site posted the sale schedule for guest autograph and photo tickets on 3 October 2026.

This is the honest section. Photo and autograph tickets go on sale on their own schedule, separate from entry, so check the official notice and set reminders. If you only want to walk the floor, a day ticket is enough. Comic Con is not an anime event; for anime-specific shopping in Tokyo, Akihabara is the better use of a December day.

Who are the Tokyo Comic Con 2026 guests?

Announced so far on the official site: Nicolas Cage and Giancarlo Esposito (first wave); Charlie Cox, Vincent D'Onofrio, the Phelps brothers and Jamie Campbell Bower (second); and Mads Mikkelsen and Daniel Logan (third). The MCs are Yuichi Nakamaru and IMALU, and the group BEYOOOOONDS is the PR ambassador, with a live show on the final day.

Guests can cancel or change, so check the official site before buying photo or autograph tickets. If you shop tax-free on your trip, from 1 November 2026 you pay the tax at the till and get it back after a customs check at the airport.

Frequently asked questions

When is Tokyo Comic Con 2026? Friday 11 to Sunday 13 December 2026, at Makuhari Messe in Chiba.

Where is Tokyo Comic Con held? At Makuhari Messe International Exhibition Halls, about five minutes on foot from Kaihin-Makuhari Station.

How much is a Tokyo Comic Con ticket? An advance adult day ticket is 5,500 yen; a limited three-day pass is 9,900 yen.

Do children need a ticket for Tokyo Comic Con? Children of primary-school age and under enter free with a guardian.

Does a photo op ticket include entry? No. You need an entry ticket as well.

Comic Con in Makuhari, anime in Akihabara

If you would like an Akihabara day chosen around the series you love, 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 is either a qualification or a warning depending on your point of view.

See the Akihabara anime tour →

Sources: Tokyo Comic Con, Top page (10th anniversary and "BEYOND" theme; guest announcements of 27 July, 26 August and 1 October 2026; MCs; PR ambassador; 3 October notice on autograph and photo ticket sales), Tickets (dates; prices; three-day pass; children; re-entry; refunds; sellers; photo and autograph tickets exclude entry) and Access (Makuhari Messe address; Kaihin-Makuhari and Makuhari-Hongō routes and times); Jump Festa, official site (19–20 December 2026, Makuhari Messe). All checked 4 October 2026.