# How to buy event tickets in Japan

Buying a ticket in Japan follows its own rules: lotteries instead of queues, paying at a convenience store, tickets that only appear in an app a few days before the show, and ID checks at the door. None of it is hard once you know the steps, though a Japanese phone number makes life much easier. Below the tips, the list of the biggest upcoming concerts, shows and games is updated daily.

## How ticket sales work

Big shows are sold in rounds. First comes the fan club presale (FC先行), open only to paying members. Then come presales through the ticket sites (プレイガイド先行), and finally the general sale (一般発売). Most presales are lotteries (抽選): you apply during a window of a few days, results come out on a set date, and if you win you must pay by a deadline or lose the ticket. Applying early gives no advantage.

General sales are usually first come, first served (先着) and often open at 10am on a weekend morning. For popular artists they can sell out in minutes, and sometimes there is no general sale at all because the lotteries used up every seat. The event's official site always lists which sites sell it and when each round opens, so start there rather than at a ticket site's search page.

- 抽選 = lottery: 当選 means you won, 落選 means you did not. 先着 = first come, first served.
- 前売り = advance ticket. 当日券 = sold on the day if any are left, often at a slightly higher price.
- 指定席 = reserved seat, 自由席 = unreserved seat, 立見 = standing room, often released last.
- 整理番号 = entry number at standing shows. Staff call numbers in order, so a low number means a spot nearer the stage.
- 発券 = issuing the ticket (printing or app release). 分配 = sending a companion's ticket to their own account.

## The ticket sites and the language problem

Three big agencies sell most tickets: [e+ (eplus)](https://eplus.jp/), [Ticket Pia](https://t.pia.jp/en/) and [Lawson Ticket](https://l-tike.com/) (ローチケ). Each needs a free account, and most shows are sold through one or two of them. Ticket Pia has a language switch with English, Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese, though many event pages stay in Japanese. Lawson Ticket is mostly Japanese, with English instructions for the Loppi machines in its stores. e+ is mostly Japanese too, but for some tours it opens separate pages for buyers living outside Japan. Browser translation handles the rest well.

Some events skip the big three. Sports teams sell on their own sites, the sumo tournaments use the official [Ticket Oosumo](https://sumo.pia.jp/en/) site with an English version, and some large conventions and international tours sell to overseas visitors separately. At small live houses you can often reserve by email or social media and pay at the door, where a drink charge is usually added to the ticket price.

- → [Sumo in Tokyo](https://eventstokyo.com/en/guides/sumo.md)
- → [Watching sports in Tokyo](https://eventstokyo.com/en/guides/sports.md)
- → [Concerts in Tokyo](https://eventstokyo.com/en/concerts.md)
- → [Live music in Tokyo](https://eventstokyo.com/en/music.md)

## Phone numbers, payment and pickup

The biggest hurdle is the phone. Most sites verify your account by SMS or a call, and a Japanese mobile number (starting 090, 080 or 070) works best; 050 internet numbers and foreign numbers are often refused. If you live in Japan, use your own number. If you are visiting, check whether your travel eSIM can receive SMS, and never use a borrowed number or made-up details, because they can break ID checks and app logins later.

Foreign credit cards work on some sites and are declined on others, and 3D Secure is increasingly required, so enable online and overseas payments with your bank and keep a second card ready. The other option is paying at a convenience store (konbini): you get a payment number, then pay at the register of 7-Eleven, FamilyMart or Lawson before the deadline, usually within a few days. Paper tickets are then printed at the same chains from the issue date (発券開始日), often only a week or two before the show.

- Konbini payment only works if you are in Japan before the payment deadline.
- Write down the chain, the payment number and the deadline. Missing it cancels the order.

## Electronic tickets and ID checks

More and more tickets are electronic and live in an app, such as e+ Smart Ticket, the Lawson Ticket app, Tixplus, MOALA or AnyPASS, depending on the show. The ticket often appears only a few days before the date, sometimes with the seat number shown just before entry. A screenshot does not count: staff scan or tap the live ticket in the app. If you bought for friends, send their tickets to their own accounts with the 分配 (distribution) function, since some shows require each person to bring their own phone.

Many tickets are named, and at popular concerts staff check ID at the door (本人確認). The name on the ticket must match your photo ID, which for most visitors is the passport, and a few venues use face recognition registered in advance. Do not buy a ticket in someone else's name; at checked shows you will be turned away.

- Open the app and log in the day before. Changing phones or deleting the app can lose the ticket.
- Bring your passport and a charged phone, plus a small power bank for long queues.

## Resale rules and scams

Since June 2019 Japan's ticket resale law has banned reselling specified tickets (named, dated tickets that state resale is not allowed) above face value as a business without the organiser's consent, and most organisers' terms forbid any transfer at all. The safe route is the official face-value resale or trade service named on the event page: Ticket Pia, Lawson Ticket and Tixplus (チケプラトレード) run them for many shows, and Ticket Oosumo has its own for sumo. Japan's Consumer Affairs Agency has warned about overseas resale sites, and tickets from them can be refused at the door.

The most common scam is a social media post offering tickets (譲ります) that asks for a bank transfer or prepaid cards, then disappears. Other red flags: a seller who sends only a screenshot or a QR image, asks for your account login, or promises there will be no ID check. In Japan the consumer hotline is 188, and the police consultation line is #9110.

- → [Going to events in Tokyo: the basics](https://eventstokyo.com/en/guides/event-basics.md)

## All events, soonest first

- **[Yokohama Marathon 2026](https://eventstokyo.com/en/events/yokohama-marathon-2026-7710)** — Sun, Oct 25, 2026 08:30 (JST) · Pacifico Yokohama Rinko Park (Finish Area. Full Marathon Start at Yokohama Landmark Tower) (Nishi, Yokohama) · ¥25,000〜
- **[Pro Wrestling NOAH Getworks Presents WRESTLE ODYSSEY II](https://eventstokyo.com/en/events/getworks-presents-wrestle-odyssey)** — Sun, Oct 25, 2026 15:00 (JST) · Ryogoku Kokugikan (Sumida) · ¥5,000–¥25,000
- **[SMBC Japan Series 2026 Game 2: Yokohama DeNA BayStars (First Base Side) vs. Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks (Third Base Side)](https://eventstokyo.com/en/events/smbc2026-2dena1-3)** — Sun, Oct 25, 2026 18:00 (JST) · Yokohama Stadium (Naka, Yokohama) · price on the official site
- **[SMBC Japan Series 2026 Game 2: Yokohama DeNA BayStars (First Base Side) vs. Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks (Third Base Side)](https://eventstokyo.com/en/events/smbc2026-2dena13)** — Sun, Oct 25, 2026 18:00 (JST) · Yokohama Stadium (Naka, Yokohama) · price on the official site
- **[Yo-Yo Ma Suntory Hall 40th Anniversary Special Concert](https://eventstokyo.com/en/events/yo-yo-ma-suntory-hall-40th-anniversary-special-concert)** — Sun, Oct 25, 2026 19:00 (JST) · Suntory Hall, Main Hall (Minato) · ¥3,000〜
- **[Full Metal Japan 2026 Is Bringing Wacken’s Spirit to Yokohama This October](https://eventstokyo.com/en/events/full-metal-japan-2026-is-bringing-wackens-spirit-to-yokohama-this-october)** — Sat, Oct 24, 2026 13:00 – Sun, Oct 25, 2026 (JST) · PIA Arena MM (西区) · ¥23,000
- **[NCT 127 — NEO CITY: THE REDLINE (Tokyo)](https://eventstokyo.com/en/events/nct-127-neo-city-the-redline-tokyo-7952)** — Sat, Oct 24, 2026 – Sun, Oct 25, 2026 (JST) · Saitama Super Arena (Saitama) · ¥14,800
- **[Yuzu 30th Anniversary Opening Concert: Don't Stop Your Heart](https://eventstokyo.com/en/events/yuzu-30th-anniversary-opening-concert-dont-stop-your)** — Fri, Oct 23, 2026 18:00 – Sun, Oct 25, 2026 (JST) · K Arena Yokohama (Nishi, Yokohama) · ¥7,700–¥21,800
- **[Toray Pan Pacific Open (WTA 500)](https://eventstokyo.com/en/events/toray-pan-pacific-open-wta-500-7729)** — Mon, Oct 26, 2026 – Sun, Nov 1, 2026 (JST) · Ariake Coliseum (Koto) · price on the official site
- **[MTV Video Music Awards Japan 2026](https://eventstokyo.com/en/events/mtv-vmaj-2026)** — Thu, Oct 29, 2026 18:00 (JST) · Tokyo Dome (Bunkyo) · price on the official site
- **[YouTube FanFest Japan 2026 Live Show](https://eventstokyo.com/en/events/youtube-fanfest-japan-2026-live-show)** — Thu, Oct 29, 2026 19:00 (JST) · Tokyo Garden Theater (Koto) · price on the official site
- **[Asagaya Jazz Street 2026](https://eventstokyo.com/en/events/asagaya-jazz-street-2026)** — Fri, Oct 30, 2026 – Sat, Oct 31, 2026 (JST) · Asagaya Shinmeigu Shrine (Suginami) · ¥2,000〜
- **[[Alexandros] presents THIS FES ’26 in Sagamihara](https://eventstokyo.com/en/events/alexandros-presents-this-fes-26-in-sagamihara)** — Sat, Oct 31, 2026 11:00 – Sun, Nov 1, 2026 (JST) · Sagamihara Gion Field · ¥13,500〜
- **[Tokyo Mega Illumination at Oi Racecourse](https://eventstokyo.com/en/events/tokyo-mega-illumination-at-oi-racecourse)** — Sat, Oct 31, 2026 16:30 – Sun, Jan 10, 2027 (JST) · Ohi Racecourse (Shinagawa) · ¥1,000
- **[Mr.Children Tour 2026 “Saturday in the Park”](https://eventstokyo.com/en/events/mrchildren-tour-2026-saturday-in-the-park)** — Sat, Oct 31, 2026 17:00 – Sun, Nov 1, 2026 (JST) · Ariake Arena (Koto) · ¥14,300
- **[TOKYOMONSOON × SpringWave Taiwan 2026](https://eventstokyo.com/en/events/tokyomonsoon-springwave-taiwan-2026)** — Sat, Oct 31, 2026 18:00 – Sun, Nov 1, 2026 (JST) · Zepp Haneda (Ota) · ¥9,800〜¥13,800
- **[Tennō Shō (Autumn) — G1](https://eventstokyo.com/en/events/tenno-sho-autumn-g1-7704)** — Sun, Nov 1, 2026 (JST) · Tokyo Racecourse (Fuchu) · ¥200
- **[Kanagawa Derby: Yokohama F. Marinos vs Kawasaki Frontale](https://eventstokyo.com/en/events/kanagawa-derby-yokohama-f-marinos-vs-kawasaki-frontale-7721)** — Sun, Nov 1, 2026 13:00 (JST) · Nissan Stadium (Yokohama) · price on the official site
- **[DDT Ultimate Party 2026](https://eventstokyo.com/en/events/ddt-ultimate-party-2026-7683)** — Tue, Nov 3, 2026 14:00 (JST) · Ryogoku Kokugikan (Sumida) · ¥5,000〜
- **[RED VELVET: IRENE & SEULGI JAPAN TOUR 2026](https://eventstokyo.com/en/events/red-velvet-irene-seulgi-japan-tour-2026)** — Wed, Nov 4, 2026 18:30 – Thu, Nov 5, 2026 (JST) · National Convention Hall at Pacifico Yokohama (Nishi, Yokohama) · ¥14,800
- **[Tennozu Canal Opera 2026: The Little Mermaid](https://eventstokyo.com/en/events/tennozu-canal-opera-2026-the-little-mermaid)** — Fri, Nov 6, 2026 18:00 – Sun, Nov 8, 2026 (JST) · Tennozu Canal & Canal East (Shinagawa) · ¥3,000〜¥30,000
- **[Stray Kids Tokyo Dome](https://eventstokyo.com/en/events/stray-kids-tokyo-dome)** — Fri, Nov 6, 2026 18:00 – Sun, Nov 8, 2026 (JST) · Tokyo Dome (Bunkyo) · ¥15,500
- **[Melanie C: World Tour in Tokyo](https://eventstokyo.com/en/events/melanie-c-world-tour-in-tokyo)** — Fri, Nov 6, 2026 18:00 (JST) · EX THEATER ROPPONGI (Minato) · ¥14,000〜
- **[Suntory All-Free Presents Kishidan Manpaku 2026 ~Boso Explosive Sound Resort~ One-Day Ticket](https://eventstokyo.com/en/events/presents-2026-1)** — Sat, Nov 7, 2026 – Sun, Nov 8, 2026 (JST) · Makuhari Messe International Exhibition Halls 4–7 (Chiba) · ¥16,000
- **[AIR JAM 2026](https://eventstokyo.com/en/events/air-jam-2026)** — Sat, Nov 7, 2026 (JST) · ZOZO Marine Stadium · ¥13,500〜
- **[Puzzle Solving Market 2026](https://eventstokyo.com/en/events/puzzle-solving-market-2026)** — Sat, Nov 7, 2026 10:00 – Sun, Nov 8, 2026 (JST) · Prism Hall (Bunkyo) · ¥1,000〜
- **[LARME FES’26 Featuring FRUITS ZIPPER, CANDY TUNE, SWEET STEADY, CUTIE STREET, ME:I, Kyururin Tte Shitemite, PiKi, Hirona Nagahama, and Naenano](https://eventstokyo.com/en/events/fruits-zipper-candy-tune-sweet-steady-cutie-street-mei-piki-larme-fes26)** — Sat, Nov 7, 2026 16:00 (JST) · Tokyo Garden Theater (Koto) · ¥9,000–¥31,000
- **[BiKN shibuya 2026](https://eventstokyo.com/en/events/bikn-shibuya-2026)** — Sun, Nov 8, 2026 11:00 (JST) · Spotify O-EAST (Shibuya) · ¥11,000
- **[2026/27 Meiji Yasuda J1 League 'MUFG THE National Stadium Day' Round 14: Vissel Kobe vs Urawa Reds](https://eventstokyo.com/en/events/mufg-theday14-vs)** — Sun, Nov 8, 2026 14:00 (JST) · MUFG Stadium (Japan National Stadium) (Shinjuku) · price on the official site
- **[Kenshi Yonezu 2026 TOUR / GHOST](https://eventstokyo.com/en/events/2026-tour-ghost)** — Wed, Nov 11, 2026 – Thu, Nov 12, 2026 (JST) · K Arena Yokohama (Nishi, Yokohama) · ¥9,900〜

Showing 30 of 120.

## Questions people ask

**Can foreigners buy concert tickets in Japan?**
Yes. Residents can use the regular sites with a Japanese phone number. Visitors have fewer options: overseas pages for some tours, sites with English versions, and official sales for some sports and conventions.

**Do I need a Japanese phone number to buy tickets?**
For most fan clubs and ticket sites, yes, because accounts are verified by SMS. Some overseas sales pages and a few sites work without one.

**How do ticket lotteries work in Japan?**
You apply during the lottery window, results come out on a set date, and winners pay by a deadline. Applying early gives no advantage, and losing costs nothing.

**Is it legal to buy resale tickets in Japan?**
Reselling specified tickets above face value without the organiser's consent is illegal. Use only the official resale service named on the event page; other tickets risk being refused at the door.

**Can I show a screenshot of my e-ticket?**
No. Staff scan or tap the live ticket inside the official app, so open it before the day and keep your phone charged.

**Can I buy tickets at the door?**
Sometimes. A 当日券 (same-day ticket) is sold only if seats remain, which is rare for big concerts but common at small venues, theatres and many sports games.

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Tokyo Events: https://eventstokyo.com/en/guides/tickets