The works of talented young creators, originally showcased at the highly successful Kyoto International Manga Anime Fair (KYOMAF) 2025, are currently on display at Karasuma Oike Station on the Kyoto City Subway until August 5th!

This exhibition features 34 winning illustrations from the “KYOMAF Creators Contest 2025_U25” a project held in conjunction with KYOMAF 2025 (September 20–21, 2025).

What is the “KYOMAF Creators Contest 2025_U25”?

Held from June 3 to August 17, 2025, this contest aims to nurture and support young creators aged 25 and under. It was organized through a partnership between Kyoto City, the KYOMAF Executive Committee, pixiv Inc., and Kyoto University of the Arts.

Now in its second year, the contest featured a prestigious panel of judges: popular illustrators Yusuke Nakamura, LAM, and Fuzichoco. The event saw a significant surge in interest, receiving 253 entries, far surpassing the previous year. One of KYOMAF’s core missions is supporting the development of creators and creating employment opportunities. To this end, various projects are held alongside the main event at Miyako Messe.

34 Beautiful Illustrations on Display!

The theme for this year’s contest was “Fictional Novel Titles”. Participants were tasked with creating illustrations based on specific, imaginary book titles. These titles were infused with a distinct “Kyoto” feel, resulting in a lineup of 34 imaginative and vibrant works.

On the day of our visit (a Saturday), many subway commuters were seen stopping to admire the art. With the Kyoto City Subway serving approximately 402,000 passengers daily (financial year of 2024), Karasuma Oike Station—a major transfer hub—serves as the perfect venue to bring these captivating works to a wide audience.

KYOMAF’s Growing Popularity

The exhibition layout is thoughtfully designed, with the works arranged to look like illustrations within a paperback novel. Our personal favorite is 心嬉々 by roirororo, which won a Judge’s Award (pictured top right). Created for the title “四条の人波で彼を探して (Searching for Him in the Crowds of Shijo)”, the piece features a delightful pop-style color palette. Judge LAM highly praised the work.

The exhibition also caught the attention of the Yomiuri Shimbun, which covered the event (link). As a city-wide collaboration, KYOMAF’s presence and influence continue to grow with every passing year.

For those who saw the similar display at Miyako Messe during KYOMAF 2025, KYOTO CMEX covered that as well. You can revisit that report here.

Check the Works Online!

For those who want to take their time viewing the art or cannot visit Kyoto in person, the winning works are available to view online. You can view high-resolution versions and zoom in to appreciate the finer details. If a particular piece catches your eye, we highly recommend checking out the artist’s social media!

[Detailed page link here]

Exhibition Overview & Access

• Period: February 5 – August 5, 2026 (until noon)

• Location: Inside the ticket gates of Subway Karasuma Oike Station, North-South passage on the concourse level (the passage connecting the North and South gates).

The exhibition is located closer to the North Gate. If you follow the signs for the restrooms, you will find the display area nearby. As the passage can be narrow, please be mindful of others while enjoying the artwork.

KYOMAF 2026: Main Visual by the Contest Winner

It has been officially announced that KYOMAF 2026 will take place this year!

• Dates: September 19–20, 2026

• Main Venues: Miyako Messe and Rohm Theatre Kyoto / Second Venue: Kyoto International Manga Museum

• Okosiyasu Ambassadors: Voice actors Yuki Kaji and Sumire Uesaka

Notably, the Main Visual for KYOMAF 2026 was created by 芽護こうせい , the Grand Prix winner of the “Creators Contest 2025_U25.” One of the unique incentives of this contest is that, in addition to prize money, the winner receives the right of first negotiation to create the main visual for a future KYOMAF event.

As a co-organizer, KYOTO CMEX will continue to support KYOMAF from various angles. Many more projects are currently in the works for the main event in September. Stay tuned for more updates—we look forward to seeing you there!