Our facilities
At San Mateo County Event Center, California, Japan Expo will be an open air show for the most part. Let’s have a look at all the facilities that will be welcoming you and our programming!
Main Stage
The Main Stage, set outside, will have 700 seats and about 1,000 people standing around it standing to watch some of the most amazing events of the show, with many showcases, dance shows, traditional shows, and masquerades with outstanding cosplay!
Panel Room
The Panel Room, with more than 200 seats, will be set up inside the Redwood Hall to welcome guests, participants and people from the anime industry to tackle as more subjects than you could imagine. You want to meet our guests and get to know more about them? That’s the place to be.
Games & live programming room
The Games & Live Programming Room stage, more than 250 seats, will be hosting game shows, video game tournaments, some more panels and even a cosplay workshop. It will be waiting for you in the Sequoia Hall. Get ready to have some fun in here!
Cultural Stage
Using your imagination, you can picture the traditional stage here! Traditional dance shows, demonstrations, and concerts are planned in the open air to show you the beauty of traditional Japan, at the heart of the event center, on the central mall.
And on Friday and Saturday night, it will look more like a dancefloor with DJ Kage to make you dance all night long or at least until closing time!
Two Screening Rooms
We’re setting up two screening rooms (a big one with about 400 seats and a small one with a capacity of about 150) to show anime screenings all day long during the three days! They will be set in the Main Hall and in the Event Pavilion.
Exhibitor Hall
The exhibitors have a dedicated hall, the Fiesta Hall, where you can meet people from the industry and discover their contents, shop Japanese goods among all the vendors, and meet fanzines and amateur artists showing their work.
Video Game Hall
Versus fighting, e-sports, retrogaming… all video game fans have to have a look at the video game hall where they can play as much as they like. See you in the Cypress hall!
Autograph Area
If you want to meet the guests and get great souvenirs from them, the autograph area has 3 rooms just for that! The Autograph Rooms are outside and will be set up under tents. Don’t forget that is you want autographs, you have to get a ticket at the Autograph Desk, set right next to the Autograph Rooms.
Cosplay Stage
Any cosplayer who feels like parading on stage in front of an audience can go to the Cosplay Stage! This open air stage will host all cosplayers: so if you want to show your best costumes and best performances, that’s the place!
Martial Art Stage
Next to the Panel Room, in the Redwood Hall, tatami will be set up to host martial art demonstrations and workshops. So if you want to find out what naginata looks like or want to give a try at aikidô or jûdô, see you there!