The Anime & Manga Pilgrimage Sites EXPO 2026 (アニメ＆まんが聖地 EXPO 2026) will be held on Saturday, November 7 and Sunday, November 8, 2026, at Naka-Ikebukuro Park and Toshima Kumin Center in Toshima Ward, Tokyo. The event is organized by the Anime & Manga Pilgrimage Sites EXPO Executive Committee, in which Toshima Ward participates.
Municipality Booths, Stage Programs, and an Animation Workshop
The event introduces the anime and manga "pilgrimage sites" scattered across Japan. Rather than focusing only on facilities connected to specific works, it also presents the appeal and culture of each region. It aims to be an opportunity not only for fans but also for people who are not familiar with anime and manga to discover the fun of a "pilgrimage tour."
During the event, 19 municipalities with ties to anime and manga pilgrimage sites will set up booths. At the joint booth of Nakano, Suginami, and Toshima wards, visitors can learn about each ward's anime and manga events, designer manhole covers, and a stamp rally that takes participants around anime and manga pilgrimage sites. New this year, the event is working with Uji City in Kyoto Prefecture, the setting of the TV anime "Sound! Euphonium." The booth will introduce the appeal of Uji and sell related goods.
On the same days, a special stage will be held in cooperation with Animate Girls Festival 2026, which is scheduled to take place at Sunshine City in Ikebukuro and other venues. The event also includes programs that combine traditional techniques handed down across Japan with anime.
In addition, Studio One Base, an anime production studio based in Toshima Ward, will hold a workshop where participants try drawing animation, and original art panels will be on display.
Comment From a Toshima Ward Official
A Toshima Ward official commented on the event: "This is a two-day-only event where municipalities that are home to anime and manga pilgrimage sites from across Japan gather in one place, offering a variety of experiences. In Toshima Ward, a pilgrimage site for manga and anime, it is a chance to discover the appeal of municipalities you did not know before. Please visit the venue, find a region that captures your heart, and use it in planning your next trip. We look forward to seeing you."
Last year's event
Last year's event
Event Details
Date and Time
- Saturday, November 7 and Sunday, November 8, 2026, 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Venues
- Naka-Ikebukuro Park
- Toshima Kumin Center (workshops and traditional crafts exhibition)
Admission
- Free
Event Programs
- Stage: Events for popular works and other programs for fans. A special stage in cooperation with Animate Girls Festival 2026 is also scheduled.
- Municipality Booths: Anime and manga pilgrimage sites from across Japan gather in Ikebukuro. 19 municipalities will exhibit, with local mascot characters joining the fun.
- Workshops (paid, advance registration required): Special workshops where what you love meets making things, letting participants experience regional techniques and craftsmanship.
Toshima Ward | KADOKAWA Animator Workshop
Studio One Base, an anime production studio based in Toshima Ward (inside Sunshine City, Ikebukuro), will hold a workshop where participants experience drawing animation. Participants will learn about drawing from Naomi Igarashi, director of the ENGI Inc. Sapporo Studio, and take on the challenge of drawing Kozame-chan from "Odekake Kozame" (おでかけ子ザメ). The workshop lets participants get a feel for how anime is drawn and for the world of anime production. All participants are also scheduled to receive a novelty gift.
