GM, COT❣️ Yuzunoko here.
How much do you actually know about what goes on at Reitaisai, the spring convention that's all Touhou Project?
The 23rd Hakurei Shrine Reitaisai was held on Monday, May 4, 2026 (a public holiday in Japan) in the East Halls of Tokyo Big Sight, Tokyo's big convention center. According to the event details on the official website, it ran from 10:30 to 15:30 (planned), and it was organized by Hakurei Shrine Shamusho (the name means "shrine office").
According to the official website, Hakurei Shrine Reitaisai is an event for the "Touhou Project" series (a long-running series of doujin games, mostly shooting games). The first one was held in the spring of 2004, and it has continued every year since.
There's the spring "Hakurei Shrine Reitaisai" and the autumn "Hakurei Shrine Autumn Reitaisai." The center of it is a doujinshi (self-published works) market, alongside other programs like company booths, cosplay, an itasha display (cars decorated with anime characters), and festival-style stalls.
The basics, and the end-of-event notice
On the day itself, May 4, a notice went up on the official website: "The 23rd Hakurei Shrine Reitaisai has ended." Along with the words "Thank you very much to everyone who took part," it gives the date and venue of the next event.
- Name: The 23rd Hakurei Shrine Reitaisai (2026)
- What it is: a Touhou Project-only doujinshi convention
- Date and time: Monday, May 4, 2026 (public holiday), 10:30 to 15:30 (planned)
- Venue: Tokyo Big Sight East Halls
- Organizer: Hakurei Shrine Shamusho
The final numbers of participating circles (the groups that sell or show their works) and visitors aren't written in the end-of-event notice or in the circle participation guide. The number you can confirm on the official website is the number of circle spaces offered, in the next section.
Circle numbers: the official figure is the spaces offered
According to the organizer's circle application guidelines, the first round offered "3,000 spaces for direct participation." The fee for one standard space (half a table, two chairs, two entry passes) was 7,400 yen, two standard spaces were 14,600 yen, and there were student discount prices too.
As of January 19, 2026, the first-round deadline, the number of spaces applied for fell short of what was offered, so a second round was held. The second round was "500 spaces for direct participation (second round only)," at 9,700 yen per space, higher than the first round, and student discounts couldn't be used.
To take part, a circle had to sell or display at least one fan work related to the Touhou Project series.
In the representative's message in the circle participation guide, Takahiro Hojo, the representative of Hakurei Shrine Shamusho, writes that "looking at the number of circles, we are getting back toward the scale of the event before COVID."
At the same time, he explains that because "restrictions on using the venue due to Tokyo Big Sight's large-scale renovation are still in place," they cut back the space for special events and put some thought into how circles were laid out.
Entry tickets and the catalog
General visitors needed an entry ticket, and the official ticket page explained it like this.
A general entry ticket bought in advance on LivePocket (a Japanese ticketing service) was 2,000 yen, and a same-day ticket bought at the venue was 3,000 yen. An afternoon ticket, good for entry from 13:00, was 1,000 yen.
The "Cirno's 'I'm the Fastest!' Pass" (Cirno is a Touhou character), which lets you line up and get in before general visitors, was sold by lottery for 3,000 yen (even the ticket names are Touhou, and it's so cute❣️).
The official catalog was 1,980 yen in bookstores and 1,500 yen at the venue on the day, but it says "you cannot enter with this catalog," so you still needed a separate entry ticket.
Rules for cosplay and photography
To cosplay, you need to register for cosplay. Light cosplay that doesn't need the changing room, like just wearing a hat, doesn't need registration.
Registration on the day was 1000 yen, and "Sakuya's Perfect and Elegant Cosplay Early Pass" (Sakuya is another Touhou character), which you could buy in advance, was 4,000 yen (the guardian ticket was 8,000 yen). With the early pass, one pass covered both entry and the changing room, and you didn't need a general entry ticket.
The changing room rules are detailed, and it says, "Arriving or going home in cosplay is prohibited."
For costumes, it says, "Please use something related to Touhou Project works for your costume or part of your costume," which is very much what you'd expect from a Touhou-only event.
Metal weapons and anything covered by Japan's Swords and Firearms Control Law can't be brought in, and items that get in the way of seeing or hearing, like face masks and eyepatches, have to come off while you're moving around.
To take photos, you need camera registration (1000 yen). People who registered for cosplay don't need camera registration.
Video is only allowed in the cosplay area, and before shooting, the rules say, "Always speak to the person you're photographing and get their consent before taking photos." When posting online, whether for profit or not, you also have to tell them the purpose and where it'll be posted, and get their permission.
Listed nuisance behavior includes photographing one person for a long time, surrounding someone in a big group, forcing poses, and shooting from an extremely low angle (I think the more people follow these, the more everyone gets to enjoy the day).
Programs at the venue, and the autumn Reitaisai
At the venue there was an "original game play corner" where each person could play the original games once, for about 15 minutes, and the stage was announced to be livestreamed on the day. According to the official website, the Touhou Colosseum final at 14:45 was a competition played on the original game "Ten Desires" (Touhou Shinreibyou).
East Hall 8 was announced to have a display of owners' prized Touhou Project itasha.
The official list of exhibiting companies includes things like Touhou Project appearing in Bushiroad's "Weiß Schwarz" (a trading card game), and "Touhou Project" getting its first merchandise from Bandai's "Ichiban Kuji" (a prize lottery sold in stores).
Just reading the company booth descriptions shows how wide the range of merch is.
Next up is the 13th Hakurei Shrine Autumn Reitaisai (2026). The official website has announced that it's planned for Sunday, October 4, 2026, in the East Halls of Tokyo Big Sight.
About this article
This article is based on the event details, circle application guidelines, circle participation guide, entry ticket and cosplay pages, and the end-of-event notice on the official Hakurei Shrine Reitaisai website.
Entry tickets and cosplay rules for the autumn Reitaisai can change from event to event, so please check the latest information on the official website before you go.
Quotes from Japanese sources are our own translations.
Translated from the Japanese original.
See you next time on COT❣️