Event guide · Fri 30 Oct 2026
Tokyo Comic Con 2026: the 10th anniversary weekend at Makuhari
Tokyo Comic Con marks ten years since its first edition with a three day weekend at Makuhari Messe, Friday 11 to Sunday 13 December 2026, under the theme BEYOND. John Cena and Melissa Benoist headline the guest list, admission is 5,500 yen (about US$35) in advance, and the celebrity sessions are a separate ticket entirely.
The short answer: Tokyo Comic Con 2026 runs for three days at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Friday 11 to Sunday 13 December 2026, and it is a landmark edition: ten years since the first Tokyo Comic Con in 2016, under the theme BEYOND. The convention covers comics, film, TV, games and cosplay, with overseas celebrity guests, stage events, autograph and photo sessions and an artist alley. Our Tokyo Comic Con listing carries the calendar entry; this guide covers the guests announced so far, the hours and what a ticket does and does not include.
Hours
| Day | Date | Open |
|---|---|---|
| Friday | 11 December | 11:00 to 19:00 |
| Saturday | 12 December | 10:00 to 19:00 |
| Sunday | 13 December | 10:00 to 18:00 |
The guests, as announced on 28 October
The 10th anniversary lineup announced so far includes Nicolas Cage, Giancarlo Esposito, the Phelps twins, Jamie Campbell Bower, Mads Mikkelsen and Daniel Logan. The fourth wave, announced on 20 October, added the two names the organisers bill as the big guests: John Cena, attending on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 December, and Melissa Benoist, attending all three days, both making their first Tokyo Comic Con appearances, with stage appearances plus photo and autograph sessions. Actor Ryuta Sato is the edition's ambassador. One change to note before you plan around a name: Charlie Cox and Vincent D'Onofrio, previously announced, will no longer attend, a cancellation the organisers confirmed on 20 October. Guest lists at conventions move; check the official site again before you travel.
Tickets: admission is only the first layer
Advance one day admission costs 5,500 yen (about US$35) for adults, 1,000 yen (about US$6) for under 18s and 500 yen (about US$3) for under 15s. Same day adult admission is 5,900 yen (about US$37), and a limited three day pass costs 9,900 yen (about US$63), sold until its allocation runs out. Children of elementary school age and younger enter free with a guardian. Tickets went on sale on 27 July 2026 through the official sellers: TicketMe, Ticket PIA and hollycontokyo.
Read the small print before budgeting. An admission ticket gets you into the halls. Autograph and photo sessions with the celebrity guests are sold separately, per guest, and you need both tickets to enter the celebrity area. Cosplay has its own arrangements too, set out on the official ticket page. Yen prices in this article are converted at 158 yen to US$1, the rate used across this site in October 2026.
Same halls, three weekends apart
Makuhari Messe hosts both of Chiba's big December weekends this year. Comic Con takes the halls in the middle of the month, and a fortnight later the same complex fills again for Countdown Japan 26/27, the indoor music festival that closes the year. The access is identical: JR Keiyo Line to Kaihin-Makuhari, then a short walk. If you are in Tokyo for either, the December guide covers what else the month holds, illuminations included.
Sources: the Tokyo Comic Con official site (the 2026 dates, venue and 10th anniversary theme, the guest announcements of 20 and 28 October including the John Cena and Melissa Benoist attendance days and the Cox and D'Onofrio cancellation) and the official ticket page (hours, admission prices, the three day pass, free entry for elementary school children with a guardian, and the authorised sellers). Checked 29 October 2026.
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