"Kobe Calling 2026," an innovation event where music, art, advanced technology, and science intersect, comes to Design and Creative Center Kobe (KIITO) on Saturday, October 31 and Sunday, November 1, 2026, presented by the Kobe Calling Executive Committee (lead organizer: music2.0).
Alongside the main event, a "Pre & Post Seminar" project (nine sessions in total) is also getting underway, aiming to build deeper input and a stronger community both before and after the event rather than let it end as a single moment.
As the first installment, a pre-seminar was held on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, with Shuzo Shiota, President of Polygon Pictures Inc., as the speaker.
Concept and Theme
"Before you know it, you're already moving."
Technology x science x creation, in motion.
Kobe Calling 2026 is an open-innovation event that combines the social implementation of advanced technology, scientific knowledge, and cultural energy to send new industry and ideas out from Kobe.
At a moment when technology and creative expression are evolving faster than ever, the event deliberately sets aside the usual boundaries between fields, bringing together business professionals, researchers, creators, entrepreneurs, and students on equal footing. Across two days of experiences and ideas that stimulate the senses, it aims to spark the kind of collaboration that drives the next generation forward.
Main Content and Highlights
The event unfolds around three pillars: Conference, Exhibition, and Meet Up.
1. Conference
Leading figures from academia, industry, and culture gather for talk sessions that dig into the future of advanced technology and its social implementation, as well as the culture economy.
Featured speakers (first announcement): Yoshiyuki Sankai — a leading figure in cybernics research, professor at the University of Tsukuba, Representative Director, President, and CEO of CYBERDYNE Inc., and Program Director for the Cabinet Office's SIP program — headlines a lineup of experts working at the leading edge of their fields.
2. Exhibition
A distinctive exhibition zone designed to expand perception and thought.
Special exhibition: A collaboration between SPring-8, the world's highest-performance synchrotron radiation facility, and COSMIC LAB, a creative studio working in advanced digital art. The exhibition offers an immersive experience where the frontiers of science meet cutting-edge art.
3. Meet Up
Speakers, participating companies, creators, researchers, and students mix freely in a real-world space designed to spark new collaborative projects and concrete next steps.
A Nine-Session Pre & Post Seminar Series, Built to Last Beyond a Single Event
Centered on the main event, Kobe Calling 2026 runs a linked "Pre & Post Seminar" series (nine sessions in total) from August through November. Each 90-minute session is designed to connect early input, on-the-day discussion, and lasting takeaways into a single thread.
Details on the Pre & Post Seminars and additional conference programming will be announced on the official website as they're finalized.
Pre-Seminar Vol. 1
- Theme: What powers the global appeal of Japanese anime, and what challenges lie ahead
- Date and time: Wednesday, August 19, 2026, 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM (doors open 6:30 PM)
- Speaker: Shuzo Shiota (President, Polygon Pictures Inc.)
- Format: In person, at 神戸電子専門学校 北野館
- Content: Leading figures spent 90 minutes exploring how the global landscape shifts where Japan's celebrated content meets cutting-edge digital technology.
The next Pre-Seminar, on August 21, pairs 齋藤貴弘 and 山口哲一 for "The Happy Relationship Between Cities and Festivals: A New Urban Economics Born from Culture."
Further sessions with thought-provoking speakers are planned to follow.
Tickets and Student Support
General admission tickets are on sale now through Ticket Pia.
To support the next generation, free student tickets are planned through corporate sponsorship, helping young people take on new challenges and learning opportunities. Details and how to apply will be announced on the official website.
Event Overview
| Event name | Kobe Calling 2026 |
| Dates | Saturday, October 31 to Sunday, November 1, 2026 (two days) |
| Venue | Design and Creative Center Kobe (KIITO) |
| Address | 1-4 Onohamacho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture |
| Who it's for | Business professionals, researchers, creators, entrepreneurs, and students |
| Organizer | Kobe Calling Executive Committee (lead organizer: music2.0) |
| Official website | https://kobecalling.com/ |
