Tokyo Toy Show 2021

**NOTE:** The 2021 Tokyo Toy Show was cancelled due to the ongoing pandemic.

The **2021 International Tokyo Toy Show** (東京おもちゃショー2021) was a toy industry trade show that was planned by the Japan Toy Association to be held June 17-20 near Tokyo Big Sight at Aomi, Kōtō, Tokyo. On March 31, the latter two public days were cancelled to limit attendance to industry professionals only. On May 14, the Japan Toy Association announced that 2021 event would be cancelled entirely. The preceding 2020 event had also been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

## Application period

On November 4, 2020, exhibitors could begin applying for booth space; the deadline closed on November 30 due to the limited amount of space at Aomi in 2021. Nominations for the 2021 Japan Toy Awards were accepted from February 18 to April 12, 2021. The winners were announced on June 15.

There is no admission fee to attend the Tokyo Toy Show. However, the first two days are limited to industry professionals only by invitation or by completing registration with the Japan Toy Association. Foreign professionals are advised to fill out a visitor registration certificate in advance. On March 31, 2021, the Japan Toy Association announced that the two public days would be cancelled, and that attendance would be limited to professionals only. Students, children, and the general public would not be allowed to enter due to the ongoing effects of the pandemic. On May 14, the entire event was cancelled.

## Venue

The previous year's event was scheduled to be held for the first time at the newly-completed Aomi Exhibition Halls, which is part of the Tokyo International Exhibition Center (東京国際展示場), also known as Tokyo Big Sight. The Aomi Station is 1 rail stop away from the Tokyo Big Sight Station.

The venue was moved across the river from the main complex to Aomi due to the scheduling impact of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Since the Olympic Games were postponed to 2021, the availability of space continued to be limited in the same way.

Earlier shows prior to 2020 had occupied the larger West Exhibition Halls 1-4 of Tokyo Big Sight. Since December 2016, the convention center complex had undergone construction to expand capacity.

### Effect of the Olympic Games (2021)

Tokyo Big Sight plans to house international broadcasters and press media during the during the Olympic Games in Japan, which will we held from July 23 to August 8, 2021. Virtually all of the convention center complex is scheduled to be occupied by Olympics-related activities between May and September 2021, making it unavailable for other events during that time. Makuhari Messe, which had previously hosted the Tokyo Toy Show in the 1990s, is also to be used as an Olympic venue. In January 2021, the Japanese government reportedly concluded that if pandemic conditions cause events to once again be cancelled, the next available slot to hold the games would not be until 2032. On February 17, Japan began a vaccination campaign to salvage their investment in holding the games. However, Japan's Olympics minister Tamayo Marukawa stated on February 24 that vaccinations would not be required for participation, despite objections by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

*See also: Tokyo Toy Show 2003: Effect of the SARS outbreak*
*See also: Tokyo Toy Show 2009: Effect of the H1N1 pandemic*
*See also: Tokyo Toy Show 2020: Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic*
## Gallery

*Toy Journal's* special coverage of the 2021 toy show.*Toy Catalog 2021* featured items that had been scheduled to be exhibited.*Toy Catalog 2021* for children with vision or hearing disabilities, free from the Japan Toy Association.Hall map (for buyers only)COVID-19 precaution bannerFormer banner with exhibitor sign-up deadline and original datesPromotional bannerPromotional charactersWeb bannerWeb banner
## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 東京おもちゃショー2021 出展のご案内 (PDF), The Japan Toy Association. 2020-11-04.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Japan Toy Association, 2021-03-31. Archived 2021-05-07.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Japan Toy Association, 2021-05-14. Archived 2021-05-15.
4. ↑ 開催中止のお知らせ (Japanese), The Japan Toy Association. 2020-04-20.
5. ↑ 日本おもちゃ大賞2021　募集要項 (Japanese), The Japan Toy Association. 2021-02-18.
6. ↑ 商談見本市ご来場の皆様へ, The Japan Toy Association. Archived 2019-09-21.
7. ↑ 2020年の「東京おもちゃショー」はどこで開催！？ (Japanese), ヒットを探そう！流行サイト. 2019-06-24.
8. ↑ Aomi Exhibition Hall, Tokyo Big Sight. Archived 2019-01-15.
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Businesses fear big losses with Tokyo Big Sight shutdown for 2020 Olympics by Shusake Murai, *The Japan Times*. 2017-01-18.
10. ↑ Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony rescheduled for July 23, 2021 by Associated Press, ESPN. 2020-03-30.
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Changes in the Suspension Period of Renting Tokyo Big Sight Due to the Postponement of Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Tokyo Big Sight Inc. 2020-04-21.
12. ↑ Exhibitor's Guide - Tokyo Toy Show 2019 (English PDF), The Japan Toy Association. Accessed 2019-01-07.
13. ↑ Lifting up the Large Roof in the Tokyo Big Sight Expansion Project at Shimizu Corporation. 2018-12-04.
14. ↑ IBC/MPC Tokyo International Exhibition Centre (Tokyo Big Sight), Bureau of Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 Preparation. Accessed 2019-09-24.
15. ↑ Tokyo Olympics knock hundreds of conventions off track by Hisashi Tsutui, *Nikkei Asian Review*. 2019-03-19.
16. ↑ A Cancellation Of The Already-Postponed 2021 Tokyo Olympics Could Halt New Sports’ Momentum by Michelle Bruton, *Forbes*. 2021-01-22.
17. ↑ Japan starts COVID-19 vaccination campaign with eye on Summer Olympics by Associated Press, ESPN. 2021-02-17.
18. ↑ Japan won't require Olympic vaccinations despite appeal, *Kyodo News*. 2021-02-25.

## External links

* 東京おもちゃショー2021 official website (Japanese, archived 2021-04-22)
	+ 東京おもちゃショー2021 cancellation notice (Japanese)
	+ 東京おもちゃショー2021 出展のご案内 exhibitor information page (Japanese)
	+ Japan Toy Association - Business Information (PDF)
* 東京おもちゃショー : 沿革 at Wikipedia (Japanese)