KYOMAF 2026 Event Report: Celebrating 15 Editions! Exploring Manga and Anime Exhibits and Anniversary Projects On-Site

On September 19 and 20, 2026, the Kyoto International Manga Anime Fair 2026, better known as “KYOMAF,” was held in Kyoto.

First launched in 2012, KYOMAF celebrated its 15th edition this year. A total of 63 companies and organizations participated, with the number of exhibition booths reaching a record high. In addition to stage events, merchandise sales, and exhibits featuring popular titles, the venue hosted a range of special anniversary projects, including a retrospective display of past key visuals.

Ahead of the event, KYOTO CMEX interviewed the City of Kyoto, one of KYOMAF’s organizers, about how the event began and how its role has evolved over the past 15 editions. This time, we visited the venue to see how the “special atmosphere of the 15th edition,” discussed in our previous interview, could be experienced both inside and beyond the main venue.

KYOMAF expands beyond Miyako Messe

For its 15th edition, KYOMAF introduced a variety of initiatives that extended beyond Miyako Messe, the event’s main venue. When KYOTO CMEX interviewed the City of Kyoto ahead of KYOMAF 2026, a city representative explained the significance of holding a manga and anime fair in Kyoto:

“We believe participating companies see considerable value in promoting their content outside the Tokyo metropolitan area. In KYOMAF’s case, the City of Kyoto, as the local government, provides extensive support for initiatives such as partnerships with Kyoto businesses, collaborations with cultural properties, filming support, and promotional campaigns featuring wrapped trains on the Kyoto City Subway. We think these unique advantages, which cannot be found at events in the Tokyo area, are part of what makes KYOMAF so appealing.”

Manga and anime events are often imagined as gatherings of titles and companies within a single venue. KYOMAF, however, connects works of manga and anime with Kyoto’s businesses, transportation networks, cultural properties, and sightseeing destinations. As a result, the event extends beyond the exhibition halls and into the city itself.

Let’s take a closer look at some of these initiatives.

KYOMAF × Kyoto Municipal Subway

Another highlight was “Get on! Kyoto City Subway,” one of the Kyoto Municipal Subway’s best-known promotional projects. “Get on! Kyoto City Subway” was launched in 2010, with its characters created to encourage greater use of Kyoto’s subway and city bus networks. The project later expanded beyond transportation advertising, with an animated production funded through crowdfunding. Its characters have since become a familiar part of Kyoto’s urban landscape.

New “Get on! Kyoto City Subway” merchandise was also released at KYOMAF this year, attracting a long line of fans.

Ahead of KYOMAF, the Kyoto Municipal Subway also operated trains created in collaboration with anime titles. In fact, many people around the author first learned about KYOMAF through posters at subway stations or collaborative wrapped trains. The ability to introduce the event not only to existing fans but also to people who regularly use the subway is one of the distinctive advantages of holding it in Kyoto.

KYOMAF × Eizan Railway

Eizan Railway is a locally rooted railway network connecting eastern Kyoto with the northern part of the city. Its lines also provide access to destinations such as Kurama-dera Temple and the Mount Hiei and Enryaku-ji Temple area, giving the railway an important role in Kyoto tourism. Many visitors may even have left the Miyako Messe venue specifically to take a ride on an Eizan Railway train.

Inside Miyako Messe, headmarks used in past collaborations were also displayed. The lineup of headmarks featuring Kyono Tsukasa and Uzumasa Moe offered visitors a glimpse into the history that KYOMAF and Eizan Railway have built together. It was an impressive exhibition worthy of KYOMAF’s milestone 15th edition.

Kyoto sightseeing destinations × KYOMAF: six collaborative visuals featuring six anime titles

Collaborations between anime titles and sightseeing destinations across Kyoto are another initiative unique to KYOMAF. The collaborative visuals were displayed at the venue. Many visitors may also have seen them online before the event and planned a sightseeing itinerary to enjoy alongside KYOMAF. The following six titles and Kyoto locations were selected for this year’s collaborations:

Konkai Komyo-ji Temple × Kaze wo Tsugu Mono
Kamigamo Shrine × The Apothecary Diaries
Shimogamo Shrine × Shuiro no Kamen
Ninna-ji Temple × Tokyo Revengers
Nijo Castle × Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian
Jisso-in Temple × Wazamonogatari

In a previous interview, a City of Kyoto representative explained that KYOMAF aims to achieve “harmony with the everyday lives of local residents” amid growing concerns about overtourism in Kyoto.

The intention is to encourage visitors to explore not only Kyoto’s widely known sightseeing destinations, but also places whose appeal has yet to receive sufficient attention. By inspiring visitors to travel across a wider range of areas, these initiatives can also help disperse tourism throughout the city.

Exploring the special features of KYOMAF’s 15th edition

To express its appreciation to the companies, creators, performers, and fans who have supported the event, KYOMAF 2026 introduced “15 Anniversary Projects.” Here are some of the special projects we discovered at the venue.

A retrospective display of past key visuals

To commemorate the 15th edition, past key visuals featuring Kyoto City PR character Kyono Tsukasa and Kyoto Municipal Subway and City Bus support character Uzumasa Moe were displayed together at the venue.

The exhibition showed that Kyono Tsukasa began appearing in the key visuals in 2022, while Uzumasa Moe joined from 2023 onward. For people who have attended KYOMAF over the years, each key visual may bring back memories of the titles they discovered, the merchandise they purchased, and the people with whom they visited the event.

The author attended KYOMAF in both 2022 and 2025. Looking at the past key visuals brought back memories of each year’s venue. At the same time, it was surprising to realize that the 2022 event was already beginning to feel like a distant memory.

These key visuals were created by young artists selected through an illustration competition held as part of KYOMAF’s related programs. In addition to collaborating with established intellectual properties, KYOMAF places considerable emphasis on nurturing talent and supporting young creators. This commitment is one of the event’s defining features.

Reflecting on the fair’s history while passing new opportunities on to the next generation of creators, the display of past key visuals symbolized the work that KYOMAF has continued over the course of its 15 editions.

Plush toy photography diorama spot at KYOMAF

Taking photographs of a favorite character’s plush toy while traveling or attending events has become an established part of fan culture. Fans also increasingly photograph acrylic stands and other character merchandise at travel destinations and event venues.

In response to these increasingly popular fan activities, KYOMAF 2026 introduced the “Plush Toy Photography Diorama Spot at KYOMAF.” At this dedicated photography spot, visitors could photograph the plush toys and acrylic stands they had brought with them against the KYOMAF 2026 key visual.

The attraction made it possible to create photographs that looked as though the characters themselves had visited KYOMAF or entered the world of the event’s key visual. Being able to take photographs alongside Tsukasa and Moe was another particularly enjoyable feature for KYOMAF fans.

Getting up close with the characters

A wide variety of characters also came to KYOMAF to celebrate the occasion. While walking around the venue, visitors could encounter characters strolling through different areas. A dedicated character greeting space was also provided.

Visitors were able to take commemorative photographs with characters they encountered while exploring the venue. Many young children could be seen excitedly running toward their favorite characters, filling the venue with smiles.

The opportunity to encounter characters not only onstage or within their original works, but also walking through the same venue as the visitors, is another appealing feature of KYOMAF. By bringing visitors so close to the characters, the venue became a space connecting the fictional worlds of manga and anime with the real city of Kyoto.

Conclusion: fifteen editions of KYOMAF’s journey with Kyoto

First launched in 2012, KYOMAF celebrated its 15th edition this year. The displays of past key visuals and railway headmarks offered a sense of the history the event has built over the years. At the same time, the KYOMAF experience has continued to extend beyond Miyako Messe and across the city of Kyoto.

KYOMAF has continued to grow by connecting manga and anime with the city of Kyoto. Its 15th edition was both an opportunity to look back on its achievements and a new starting point for future developments.

The connections KYOMAF will create next between the city, its creators, and the world of manga and anime are something to look forward to.

Event outline

Event Name	KYOTO INTERNATIONAL MANGA ANIME FAIR 2026
Abbreviation	KYOMAF (=KYOTO INTERNATIONAL MANGA ANIME FAIR)
Dates	September 19 (Sat) – 20 (Sun) 2026 [Main venues] Miyako Messe/ROHM Theatre Kyoto　9:00AM-5:00PM (until 4:00PM on the 20th) ※Entrance until 30 minutes before closing [Venue2] Kyoto International Manga Museum　10:00AM-7:00PM ※Entrance until 30 minutes before closing
Organizer	KYOTO INTERNATIONAL MANGA ANIME FAIR Executive Committee, Kyoto City
Co-organizers	KYOTO CMEX Executive Committee, Kyoto International Manga Museum, Kyoto Computer University and Kyoto Institute of Information Science
Cooperation	“Traditional Industries Day” Executive Committee
Organization Purpose	・Support for the creation of new businesses utilizing manga and anime. ・Support for the development of creators and creation of employment opportunities. ・Creation of new tourists, including young people and foreigners. ・Improve the brand of Kyoto as a content city by promoting manga and anime culture overseas.