🎪 What & When

Twice a year, Tokyo Big Sight transforms into the beating heart of otaku culture during Comic Market—better known as Comiket. Held every August (Natsu-Comi, meaning Summer Comiket) and December (Fuyu-Comi, meaning Winter Comiket), Comiket welcomes hundreds of thousands of fans over several days. Recent editions have drawn over 300,000 attendees over the course of 2 days, with record highs reaching 750,000 over the course of 4 days, averaging the amount of participants to 170,000 per day. These staggering numbers make Comiket not just Japan’s, but the world’s largest fan-driven convention, where creativity, dedication, and shared passion collide.

The next Comiket is just within a month’s reach, and will be held from the 16th to 17th of August, at Tokyo Bigsight. Without further ado, let’s jump right into the details of this event!

🛍️ What You’ll Find

Unlike your typical commercial expos, Comiket is rooted in the doujinshi culture—fan-made self-published works that span genres from action-packed parodies to heartfelt original stories, and yes, even the explicit content for so-called “cultured individuals”. The venue is divided into multiple zones, each with its own genre depending on the day of the event. Corporate booths feature major anime, game, and merchandise companies showcasing exclusive releases, while cosplay areas are located in open-air areas like the west-hall building rooftops and east hall parking lots for some of the most impressive costume creations in the world.

You can say that it’s the doujin booths that remain the soul of Comiket. Here you will find the booth types categorized by regular attendees at the event. “Shutter booths” (シャッター) are placed near the large shutter doors in the event hall for easy access and are usually reserved for popular or professional-level circles— beware of the long queues here, some of them can take an hour or longer, sometimes even wrapping around the entire venue! “Wall booths” (壁) are lined up against the inner walls of the venue, also featuring high-demand circles and artists, and often attract dedicated fans who come early and queue for hours. Then there are the “Island booths” (島) arranged in clusters at the center of the halls arranged by alphabet from A to Z, to Japanese Katakana ア to ン . Here you’ll find everything from niche fandoms to bizarre and hilarious original concepts, all crafted with care by passionate creators.

Another aspect of Comiket’s biggest attractions is its cosplay scene. Thousands of cosplayers flood the outdoor cosplay area, ranging from anime protagonists to game characters, mascots, and even parody designs. If you want to take photos, remember: always ask for permission first. Cosplay etiquette is taken seriously, and inappropriate behavior—such as photographing someone without consent—can result in being escorted out by staff.

🤝 Etiquette & Rules

Speaking of etiquette, Comiket has some common rules when roaming within the event venue. Queuing is highly organized, a sign indicating the end of a queue (最後尾) is usually present and line-cutting is a big no-no. If you’re attending casually and don’t have a specific artist in mind, it’s best to arrive in the afternoon past 12 pm to avoid the morning rush, when hardcore fans line up as early as 6 a.m. When purchasing doujinshi, be discreet—many contain adult content, and it’s expected that you’ll carry these items in an opaque bag. Eating and drinking while walking is also discouraged, with how crowded the venue is, you would not want your sandwich or riceball to end up on others’ clothing.

🌟 Tips for First-Time Attendees

First-time visitors may find Comiket overwhelming, but with a bit of preparation, it becomes an unforgettable experience. One essential is the official Comiket catalog—a massive B5-sized volume listing all participating circles and booth layouts, its downside being a 2kg dictionary for you to carry around. Please be reminded that the catalog and the tickets to the event are purchased separately. Also, there is a digital option for the catalog that you can access via your phones, you can find the online version at a website called circle.ms. It takes time to navigate, so browsing the catalog beforehand is highly recommended.

Travel light, prepare a bigger backpack if you’re planning to buy a lot of things, and stay hydrated, especially during the sweltering Tokyo summer. There have been extreme cases where clouds and mist are actually formed within the venue from the humidity and likely the sweat from participants. For cosplayers, take note of costume regulations—oversized props and revealing outfits may be restricted, and all cosplay is expected to be done only in designated areas.

📌 Why It Matters

What makes Comiket so special is that it’s a bottom-up celebration of fandom. It’s where amateur artists, professional creators, die-hard fans, and casual onlookers mingle in a shared space driven not by profit, but by passion. Many creators get their start here, and countless bonds and friendships are formed between participants from all over the world.

For those diving into Japanese pop culture, Comiket offers something more than merchandise or photos. It offers a living, breathing community—one where a common love for stories and characters breaks language barriers. Which is strikingly similar to our missions at NIUHI where we aim to provide a space for manga enthusiasts to share their love and passion beyond language borders. Speaking of which, here’s a shoutout to “piyotycho”, a fellow creator whose books are on NIUHI and will be attending the upcoming summer Comiket. His circle “BlackDwarf” will have a booth located at block “n-26b”, which is in the South Halls on the Sunday of the event (August 17). Be sure to go check them out!

So whether you’re a doujin collector, a cosplayer, or a curious newcomer, take a deep breath, make sure to follow the rules, and immerse yourself in one of the most unique cultural events Japan has to offer!