Site Visit Report: Content Tokyo 2025

In July 2025, we visited “Content Tokyo 2025” held at Tokyo Big Sight and toured the various exhibitions.

Once again this year, a wide range of expos were held simultaneously, including the Creators' Expo, Licensing Japan, Ad Creative & Marketing Expo, and Communication Design Expo.

Creators' Expo venue

This time, we focused particularly on “Licensing Japan,” where we explored the latest trends in character, brand, and illustration-based licensing businesses.

Licensing Japan entrance signage

Corporate booths at Licensing Japan

A wide variety of genres were present—from talents and corporate mascots to original characters—with many business negotiations taking place involving both domestic and international buyers. It was striking to see not only how licensees evaluated content, but also how content holders put serious thought into presentation and differentiation.

More corporate booths at Licensing Japan

The Creators' Expo was also bustling as usual, with a large number of illustrators, manga artists, designers, and writers exhibiting.

Scenes from Creators' Expo

Booths were full of individuality, and many spaces were actively being used for business meetings.

All in all, Content Tokyo once again brought together a dense concentration of “content that leads to business.” For HRDART, it was a meaningful opportunity to gain insights into how we might develop and expand unique Japanese art and content both in Japan and overseas.