Comiket

Tokyo · Festival

Twice a year, hundreds of thousands of people fill Tokyo Big Sight to buy comics made by the people selling them.

Dates

29 to 31 December 2026

Comic Market 109, announced by the organisers for three days at Tokyo Big Sight.

Held twice a year, in mid-August and late December. The winter session runs to the end of the year.

Dates checked against the official site on August 21, 2026

Comiket is not a trade show. Almost everything on sale is made by the person behind the table, printed at their own expense, and often sold at close to cost. That is the whole point, and it is why the scale is hard to believe for something with no commercial engine behind it. Around thirty thousand circles exhibit on each day, and attendance runs past a quarter of a million daily. Entry is by paid wristband and staggered: early entry from 10:30, morning entry queues from 11:00, afternoon from 12:30. Most of the work is derivative, built on existing series, and a good deal of it is original. The circles and genres change completely between days, so which day you pick decides what you see. The organisers publish an English map and an international web catalogue, so a visitor with no Japanese can still find a table.

Getting a good spot

Bring photo ID matching the name on your ticket -- a passport for foreign visitors, and originals only. The Yurikamome line to the venue is the bottleneck, so the Rinkai line to Kokusai-Tenjijo is usually faster on the morning of. Genres and circles change completely between days, so check the schedule by hall before picking one. The organisers warn about heatstroke at the August session; December is cold instead.

Seats and tickets

Entry needs a paid wristband, and each day is a separate purchase. Buy in advance at an anime or manga retailer: an afternoon wristband costs about 440 yen that way against 1,000 yen at the venue, and morning entry cannot be bought on the day at all.

Where it happens

Tokyo Big Sight Main site The inverted pyramids on Tokyo Bay. Japan's biggest exhibition venue, and the home of Comiket. Odaiba This futuristic entertainment island in Tokyo Bay feels like stepping into tomorrow with its striking architecture, t...

Access

Common questions

When is Comiket?

Twice a year, in mid-August and again over the last days of December. The exact dates are announced by the organisers a few months ahead, so check before booking.

Do I need to bring anything besides the ticket?

Photo ID whose name matches the ticket. A passport for foreign visitors, and only the original counts -- a photo or a copy will not get you in.

Can I just turn up?

Only for the afternoon. Afternoon wristbands go on sale at the Entrance Plaza from 12:30, at more than double the advance price and behind a long queue. Morning entry has to be bought beforehand, so turning up without a wristband is the thing most likely to catch out a first-time visitor from abroad.