GM, COT❣️ Yuzunoko here.
Have you seen this year's numbers from AnimeJapan 2026?
AnimeJapan is one of Japan's biggest anime events, and its public days were held on March 28 and 29, 2026 at Tokyo Big Sight (a large convention center in Tokyo). According to the organizer's closing report, total attendance was a record 156,000+ visitors (estimated).
This was the 13th edition. The venue stretched across East Halls 4 to 8, South Halls 1 to 4, and the rooftop exhibition area too.
The numbers from the organizer
Lining up the numbers in the closing report and the event overview, you get this.
- Public days: Saturday, March 28 and Sunday, March 29, 2026, 9:00 to 17:00
- Business days: Monday, March 30 and Tuesday, March 31, in the Tokyo Big Sight Conference Tower
- Total attendance: 156,000+ (estimated), a record
- Exhibitor booths: 130+, the largest ever
- Stages: 50 stage events across four stages, RED, GREEN, BLUE and WHITE
The attendance figure is marked as an "estimate," so it's probably best to hold off a little before treating it as final.
As for exhibitors, the closing report counts booths, not companies.
The organizer is AnimeJapan, a general incorporated association. Sony Group was the special sponsor, and the supporting organizations included Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and The Association of Japanese Animations.
"Family Anime Festa," aimed at families and kids, had also been announced for the same days, the 28th and 29th, in South Hall 1.
The closing report also says visitors could be seen all over the venue wearing the shopping bags handed out by exhibitors while they bought merch (so walking around wearing the bags is apparently the signature AnimeJapan look).
Cosplayers World: one area indoors, one on the rooftop
The cosplay area goes by the name "Cosplayers World," and this year it was split into two spots, one indoors and one outdoors.
The indoor area was South Hall 3, from 9:00 to 17:00, and the outdoor area was the rooftop exhibition area, from 9:30 to 16:30.
To take part, you needed cosplay registration on top of your AnimeJapan entry ticket. The fee was 1,000 yen (tax included) whether you registered in advance or on the day, and anyone of elementary school age or older pays.
Once you're registered, you can use the changing rooms and the cloakroom, which open at 8:00.
The site said same-day registration would be open on both days even if advance registration sold out, which is a kind setup for people who decide to join on a whim.
On the mini stage, "CDEF (Cosplay Dance Entertainment Festival)," a cosplay dance event, had been announced as being held at AnimeJapan for the first time.
There was also a "cosplay gathering," where everyone shoots photos together around a theme. The themes were apparently "Those Destined to Fight" and "Idols on Their Day Off" on the 28th, and "Students After School" and "A Meeting of Mages" on the 29th.
Idols on their day off sounds like a theme that would bring out cute costumes (and A Meeting of Mages has me picturing a whole row of pointy hats❣️).
Cosplay rules worth knowing
The notes on the official site are long, but here are the ones that seem most important.
- No arriving, leaving or going home in cosplay. Always change back before stepping outside Big Sight
- Change only in the changing rooms inside the venue. Changing or doing makeup in nearby facilities or restrooms is banned
- Prop weapons are allowed only if they're 130 cm or shorter and don't fall under Japan's Swords and Firearms Control Law
- Take photos only in the designated places, and only after getting permission. Large strobes and lights on stands can't be brought in
Inside the changing rooms, taking photos with a camera or a smartphone is banned, and the site also asks you not to use your phone as a mirror or look at makeup reference images.
I'm guessing they spell it out that far so everyone using the changing rooms can feel safe.
Here's the flow from registration to the areas as a diagram.
Osaka in 2027 and 2028
There was big news too. On March 28, the first day of the event, the organizer announced that AnimeJapan 2027 and AnimeJapan 2028 will be held in Osaka.
The event has been held in Tokyo for 13 years, so this is the first time it's leaving Tokyo. The Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau is apparently coming on board as a supporting organization.
According to the current event overview on the official site, the AnimeJapan 2027 public days are Saturday, March 27 and Sunday, March 28, 2027, at Intex Osaka (a convention center in Osaka), Halls 2 to 6AB. The business days are listed as Friday, March 26 and Saturday, March 27, at Intex Osaka Hall 1.
For people used to going in Tokyo, getting there will be different, so it might take some getting used to (fans in Tokyo will be starting with planning a road trip).
Whether Cosplayers World will also be held in Osaka, and what the registration fee and rules will be, hasn't been announced yet.
About this article
I put this article together from the AnimeJapan official site: the closing report, the event overview, the Cosplayers World page, and the announcement about the move to Osaka.
Dates and venue details for the 2027 Osaka event may be updated, so if you're thinking of going, check the latest event overview on the official site.
Quotes from Japanese sources are our own translations.
Translated from the Japanese original.
See you next time on COT❣️