Complete Guide to Exhibition & Trade Show Printing in Japan

Japan hosts some of the world's largest trade shows — CEATEC, Tokyo Game Show, Foodex, Tokyo Motor Show, Interop. If your company is exhibiting, the printed materials at your booth carry a disproportionate amount of weight. Japanese visitors expect quality, and venues have their own quirks. This guide covers what foreign exhibitors need to know.

Japan's major exhibition venues

• Tokyo Big Sight (Ariake) — the giant. East and West halls, plus the South. Loading dock policies are strict; deliveries must be timed against your build slot.
• Makuhari Messe (Chiba) — second-largest, used by Tokyo Game Show, CEATEC. About 40 minutes from central Tokyo by rail.
• Pacifico Yokohama — the most international-feeling, with conference + exhibition halls combined. Common for medical and pharma shows.
• Kyoto International Conference Center — smaller, prestigious, used for academic and government conferences.
• Nagoya Congress Center / Port Messe Nagoya — Chubu region's main exhibition spaces.

What you actually need to print

After dozens of overseas exhibitor briefs, the consistent must-haves are:

• Pull-up / roll-up banners — at least two. The single most-used item on any booth.
• Booth backdrop or shell-scheme graphic — the wall behind your team.
• Bilingual business cards — Japan-standard 91×55mm, English/Japanese sides.
• Brochures or product handouts — A4 or A5, ideally 4–8pp.
• Table signage and price cards if relevant — small, clear, on rigid foamboard or PETG.
• Floor decals or stickers if your booth includes a path or directional signage.

Japan-specific specs that trip up overseas designers

Three details break shipments often:

• Paper sizes: Japan uses ISO A-series (same as ROW) but JIS B-series (different from ISO B). JIS B5 is 182×257mm vs ISO B5 176×250mm. If you set 'B-series' in your design app outside Japan, double-check.
• Color profile: Japan Color 2001 Coated is the de-facto standard for offset. US designs in SWOP and EU in FOGRA39 will shift in print. We re-profile or proof-tune everything that lands on our presses.
• Fire retardancy: many venues require fire-retardant materials for fabric signage, especially for backdrops over a certain height. Tokyo Big Sight, Makuhari and Pacifico Yokohama all enforce this — we have certified materials in stock.

Why printing locally in Japan beats shipping from abroad

• No customs delays or duties — international shipments routinely get held at Narita.
• Faster fixes: a typo, a color shift, a damaged banner. We can reprint and re-deliver in 24–48 hours; replacement from overseas takes a week.
• Lower freight cost — no air freight on heavy banner stands.
• Better color match: we proof against the actual press that will run your job.

Costs to plan around (2026)

• A 'starter' booth package — 2 roll-up banners, 200 business cards, 100 brochures, 1 table sign — typically ¥80,000–¥140,000.
• Backdrop graphics on fabric (3×2.5m) — ¥45,000–¥80,000 depending on material and finish.
• Rush production (1–2 days) — usually +30–60% on standard pricing.
• Direct delivery to Tokyo Big Sight loading dock — ¥4,000–¥9,000 depending on volume.

How to brief us if you're flying in

Send (a) your event name, dates and venue, (b) your booth number once you have it, (c) booth dimensions and any shell-scheme spec sheet from the organiser, and (d) your logo / brand assets in vector. We'll come back with a quote and a delivery plan within 4 business hours. Most overseas exhibitors brief us 2–3 weeks out, but we've shipped jobs in 48 hours when needed.

If you're exhibiting in Japan in the next six months, request an event quote on our Events page — we'll set up a live spec sheet and reserve press capacity around your dates.