Makuhari Messe: Capacity, Access & Tokyo Game Show Venue Guide
Makuhari Messe is Japan's flagship convention and exhibition complex in Mihama-ku, Chiba — three connected facilities (the International Exhibition Halls, the International Conference Hall and the Makuhari Event Hall) on a 210,000 sqm site. The Event Hall holds up to 9,000 people (3,948 fixed seats, up to 912 movable seats, plus roughly 3,000 more on the floor for standing or temporary seating), and the Conference Hall's Convention Hall seats up to 1,600. It's a 5-minute walk from Kaihimmakuhari Station on the JR Keiyo Line, and it's the long-running home of Tokyo Game Show. This guide has the verified capacity, address, station access and what's held here.
Capacity
| Facility / configuration | Capacity |
|---|---|
| Event Hall — fixed seats | 3,948 |
| Event Hall — + movable seats | up to 912 more |
| Event Hall — + floor standing/temporary seats | roughly 3,000 more |
| Event Hall — maximum (assembly-style) | up to ~9,000 |
| Conference Hall — Convention Hall | up to 1,600 |
| International Exhibition Halls 1-8 | 54,000 sqm of floor space |
| International Exhibition Halls 9-11 | 18,000 sqm of floor space |
The Event Hall's usable capacity depends heavily on layout: full theater-style seating (fixed + movable) tops out around 4,860, while adding standing room or temporary chairs on the arena floor pushes the maximum toward 9,000 — the figure the venue itself quotes as the hall's capacity. Ceiling-mounted battens, trusses and more than 100 hanging points let organizers rig lighting and sound for concerts as well as trade-show keynotes. The exhibition halls are separate, much larger spaces measured in floor area rather than seats — they're what makes Makuhari Messe one of Japan's biggest expo venues, alongside Tokyo Big Sight.
Opened on October 9, 1989, and expanded in 1997, Makuhari Messe was designed by architect Fumihiko Maki. It also served as an Olympic venue, hosting fencing, taekwondo and wrestling at the Tokyo 2020 Games.
Address
2-1 Nakase, Mihama-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba 261-8550 (〒261-8550 千葉県千葉市美浜区中瀬2-1).
Getting there
- Kaihimmakuhari Station (JR Keiyo Line) — about a 5-minute walk
- Makuhari-Hongo Station (JR Sobu/Keisei lines) — connect by shuttle bus, roughly 15-17 minutes
- By car — about 40 minutes from central Tokyo or Haneda Airport, with an on-site 5,000-vehicle car park (¥1,000/day for standard vehicles)
From Tokyo Station, take the JR Keiyo Line rapid service directly to Kaihimmakuhari — about 30 minutes with no transfer.
What's held here
Makuhari Messe is best known internationally as the annual venue for Tokyo Game Show, a major video-game expo — see our Tokyo Game Show 2026 guide for dates, tickets and tips. Across the year it also hosts major trade shows, anime and comic conventions, and auto and tech exhibitions that fill its combined exhibition, conference and event-hall spaces.
FAQ
What is Makuhari Messe's capacity? The Event Hall holds up to about 9,000 (3,948 fixed seats, up to 912 movable seats, plus roughly 3,000 more standing/temporary); the Conference Hall's Convention Hall seats up to 1,600.
What's the nearest station to Makuhari Messe? Kaihimmakuhari Station (JR Keiyo Line) — about a 5-minute walk.
Where is Makuhari Messe? 2-1 Nakase, Mihama-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba 261-8550, about 30 minutes from Tokyo Station by JR Keiyo Line.
Is Tokyo Game Show held at Makuhari Messe? Yes — it's the show's long-running home; see the Tokyo Game Show guide for this year's dates.
Official facility guide: https://www.m-messe.co.jp/en/facility/facility (capacity verified as of July 2026). Usable capacity varies by event layout — always check the specific event's own page before you travel.