The Tokyo Anime Award Festival (TAAF) is an international film festival that showcases original animated works from around the world—honoring exceptional creativity, animation, and diversity.
Located in Tokyo, considered by many to be a global hub of animation, this festival acts as a platform where new artists and films can flourish. During the four-day festival period, you can witness these films on the big screen at TOHO Cinemas Ikebukuro. In addition to screenings, the festival committee also awards several films based on their originality, inspiring messages, and contribution to the development and promotion of animation. Some awards include the Grand Prize, Award of Excellence, and Best Student Film.
In 2026, four feature films have been nominated, out of 39 submissions from 31 countries and regions, and 23 short films have been nominated, out of 997 submissions from 71 countries and regions. For specific film details, please visit the TAAF homepage.
Parents or those travelling with young children can also check out two animation workshops—“Make an Animation with a Cut Out Character” on March 14 or “Make an Animation with Pipe Cleaners” on March 15. Please visit the aforementioned links for more details (Japanese only).
If you are a fan of animation in all forms, you will not want to miss this festival! Be sure to keep an eye on the site for the announcement of the winning films.
How to purchase tickets for movie screenings
For the cinema screenings, you can purchase tickets in advance or on the day of. For more ticketing information, please visit TAAF’s ticket page (Japanese only).
Advance tickets will be sold on PassMarket. However, to use this service, you need a Japanese phone number. Pre-order tickets will be sold on PassMarket until 11:59pm (23:59) the day before the screening. From 12am (0:00) onward, the tickets are considered “same-day.” For specific screening times, visit TAAF’s program page and simply click on the film you wish to see. The movie times and corresponding PassMarket links will be on the right side of the page. You can choose to see the film as is or with commentary.
For individuals who do not have a Japanese phone number, the festival committee is considering local sales of same-day tickets. If this is the case, there will be a notification on the TAAF site with details just before the exhibition period. Please note that same-day tickets will NOT be sold if advance tickets are sold out.
Advance tickets will cost approximately ¥1,500 (¥1,000 for students), and same-day tickets will cost an additional ¥200.
You can also purchase a Competition Passport (through PassMarket) that allows you to view all of the feature-length and short films in the competition category. The passport includes a total of 15 programs and costs ¥5,000 (¥3,000 for students).
