Comiket Circle Map Explained: How to Find Your Booth

Comiket Circle Map: How to Read Booth Locations

Comiket (Comic Market) is the world’s largest doujinshi event, held at Tokyo Big Sight.
The circle map system is unique to Comiket and can be confusing for first-time visitors — especially if you cannot read Japanese.

This guide explains everything you need to know to find a circle at Comiket, including:

• How East / West / South halls are structured
• How Comiket block names work (A / a / Hiragana / Katakana)
• How to read circle locations like “東イ‑18a”
• How islands and walkways are arranged
• How queues form and where to stand

Official Comiket Information (English-friendly):
https://www.comiket.co.jp/info-a/TAFO/

Official Comiket International X Account:
https://x.com/comiket_intl

Comiket Circle Map (Official Floor Map)

The Comiket circle map is created separately for every event.
Because the layout changes each time, you must always check the latest version of the map.

The official map is usually released about two weeks before the event.
Make sure to confirm your circle’s location using the newest map, not an older one.

Each Comiket has different hall assignments, block types, and island layouts, so relying on past maps can lead to mistakes.
Always download or view the latest official map before planning your route.

Official Comiket Information：https://www.comiket.co.jp/

Understanding the Comiket Venue Layout

Comiket uses multiple halls and floors inside Tokyo Big Sight.
Before searching for a circle, you must confirm which hall it is located in.

East Halls (東)

The East Halls are the main area for doujin circles, and most attendees spend the majority of their time here.
The East side is divided into three groups:

• East 1–3: First block of East halls
• East 4–6: Second block of East halls
• East 7–8: Third block of East halls

Each group may use different block types (Hiragana, Katakana, or alphabet), depending on the event.
Because the layout changes every Comiket, always check the latest official map.

West Halls (西)

The West Halls are used for a mix of different areas, but the layout is divided clearly:

• West 1–2: Doujin circles
• West 3–4: Corporate booths

Depending on the event, cosplay-related areas may also be placed nearby, but the general rule is that
West 1–2 are for fan circles and West 3–4 are for companies.
This division is important because the atmosphere and crowd flow are very different between doujin and corporate areas.

South Halls (南)

The South Halls are divided clearly by purpose:

• South 1–2: Cosplay photography area
• South 3–4: Corporate booths

General doujin circles are rarely placed in the South Halls.
If your target is a fan circle, you will almost always be heading to the East or West Halls instead.

As an exception, in years such as 2025 and 2026, when some halls are unavailable due to construction, doujin circles may be placed there.

Comiket Block Types: Hiragana, Katakana, Alphabet, a/b

Comiket Uses Four Different Block Systems

Unlike most overseas conventions where only letters and numbers are used, Comiket uses
four different block types mixed together:

• A–Z (uppercase alphabet)
• a–z (lowercase alphabet)
• Hiragana (あ–ん)
• Katakana (ア–ン)

This is extremely unusual for foreign visitors, because most international events use only
simple alphanumeric systems.
At Comiket, however, these four systems are all used at the same time.

Block types are usually assigned by hall groups, such as:

• East Halls 1–3
• East Halls 4–6
• West Halls 1-2
• East Halls 7–8
• South Halls

For foreign attendees, Hiragana and Katakana are unfamiliar writing systems, so identifying them can be difficult.
The only reliable method is to carefully compare the characters printed on the official map
with the characters in the circle’s location.

Example: Block Assignment for Winter Comiket 2025

• East 1–3: Closed due to construction
• East 4–6: Katakana ア–ヨ
• East 7–8: Alphabet A–Z
• West 1–2: Hiragana あ–め
• South Halls: Lowercase alphabet a–t

Because block assignments change every event, always check the latest official map.

Hiragana vs Katakana: How to Tell Them Apart

Hiragana (あ–ん)

• Rounded, soft shapes
• Used for native Japanese words
• Examples: あ い う え お

Katakana (ア–ン)

• Sharp, angular shapes
• Used for foreign words and emphasis
• Examples: ア イ ウ エ オ

Tip: Hiragana = round, Katakana = sharp.

Both appear on the Comiket map as block names.
If you cannot read Japanese, match the shape of the character with the map.

Outer Perimeter Blocks

The following blocks often appear along the wall (outer perimeter):

• A (uppercase)
• a (lowercase)
• あ (Hiragana “a”)
• ア (Katakana “a”)

These areas frequently host popular circles and may have long queues.

Shutter-Side vs Inner-Side: How Queues Form

Shutter-Side Circles May Have Outdoor Queues

Near the large shutter doors, extremely popular circles may have lines guided outside the hall for safety and traffic flow.

At many overseas conventions, it is unusual for a queue to be located outside the venue. However, at Comiket this is completely normal. For large or highly popular circles, the line can extend hundreds of meters, sometimes wrapping around the building or being guided outdoors for safety reasons.

Because of this, even Japanese attendees sometimes have difficulty finding the correct “Last in Line” sign, especially when the queue is long or split into multiple segments.

Non-Shutter Outer Blocks Have Indoor Queues

Even if a circle is on the wall side, if it is not near a shutter, its queue will usually form inside the hall.

Lines May Cross Walkways — But That Does NOT Mean “End of Line”

When a line becomes long, staff may:

• Split the line across a walkway
• Fold it back (zig-zag)
• Move the end of the line to a different location

This can make the line appear “broken,” but a break does not mean the end of the line.

Always look for the “最後尾” (Last in line) sign.

How to Read a Circle Location (Example: 東イ‑18a)

Let’s break down the example 東イ‑18a.

1. Hall

• 東 = East
• 西 = West
• 南 = South

So 東イ‑18a is in the East Hall.

2. Block

Each hall is divided into multiple blocks, so you need to look for the specific block name “イ” within that hall.

In the 2025 circle map, the block “イ” is located in the East 4–6 area.
This tells you that the circle you are looking for is in East Hall 6.

The block name can beevery hole   :

• A–Z
• a–z
• Hiragana
• Katakana

In this example, イ is a Katakana character.

3. Table Number

The number (18) is the table inside the block.
However, Comiket’s numbering does not always increase toward the back.
Always check the island layout on the map.

In the "イ" block, you can see that the table numbers are assigned in the direction of the red arrow.

4. a / b / ab

When you arrive at your table number, make sure you see the circle you're looking for.

Each table is usually split into two spaces:

• a = left side
• b = right side

Popular circles may use both, written as ab.

Island Layout (SHIMANAKA) and Walkways

The island area is very crowded, so the trick to moving around on the map is to make the most of the wide passageways.

Islands Are Often Split by a Walkway

イ-01 to イ-08  (walkway)  イ-09 to イ-18

Your target table may be on the opposite side of the walkway even within the same block.

Inner Rows Are Crowded

Inner rows (SHIMANAKA:島中) are narrow and busy.
Lines may form suddenly, and movement can be slow.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Confusing Hiragana and Katakana
• Going to the wrong hall (East vs West vs South)
• Assuming numbers increase toward the back
• Thinking a break in the line is the end
• Not checking whether the island is split

Finding Circles Without the Web Catalog

The official Web Catalog is powerful but:

• Mostly in Japanese
• Free users have strict limits
• Overseas payment can be difficult

Many foreign visitors instead use X (Twitter) to find circle information.

Recommended Workflow

1. Find the circle’s location on X (e.g., 東イ‑18a)
2. Use this guide to understand the hall, block, and table
3. Match the characters and numbers with the official map

You do not need to read Japanese to find your circle —
you only need to match the shapes and numbers.

Final Tips

• Confirm the hall first
• Check the block type carefully
• Look at the island shape on the map
• Do not assume numbering direction
• Always find the “Last in line” sign before joining a queue

Once you understand how halls, blocks, islands, and queues work,
Comiket becomes much easier to navigate — and far more enjoyable.

Next step: Route from entrance to circle area