Tokyo International Film Festival 2026: tickets and QR entry

Tokyo International Film Festival runs October 26-November 4, 2026. General ticket sales open in four stages on October 17, and admission QR codes become available only 24 hours before the screening. Choose your film and sale time now; keep the purchase confirmation so you can retrieve the ticket later.

Visitors can buy public screening tickets without applying for a professional badge. The practical choice is which film fits your Tokyo stay, language needs and evening transport. Record the cinema, screen, start time and subtitle information before paying.

This guide covers the Tokyo festival. The Toronto International Film Festival guide covers a different event with different ticket rules.

October 17 ticket sales: which time applies to your film?

The official ticket-sale timetable divides Saturday, October 17 by programme section. All times below are Japan Standard Time, UTC+9.

Films assigned to the earlier pre-order lottery are excluded from this general sale. Do not assume a gala title will be available at 2pm simply because its section appears in that row. Wheelchair-space sales begin separately on Sunday, October 18 at 1pm JST.

For an overseas buyer, convert the relevant time to your location and set a reminder for that release. The four stages are not four chances to buy the same film. A Competition choice belongs on the 4pm shortlist, even if you are already online in the morning.

Give each first choice a backup: another screening of the same film, a different title or an evening on another day. Check the current programme through the festival site rather than treating an early-season guest list as a confirmed public appearance.

Public ticket prices and a realistic screening budget

The 2026 price table lists these rates in Japanese yen:

Some special programmes have different prices. Premier Box Seats in TOHO Cinemas Hibiya Screens 12 and 13 add JPY1,000. Students need student identification.

Two adults at the JPY2,200 rate would spend JPY4,400 for one screening, or JPY8,800 for two. Those calculations exclude any checkout charges and premium-seat supplements. A listed price does not confirm remaining seats.

With one free evening, budget for one film and a meal. For a cinema-focused stay, buy sessions you can realistically reach; an open afternoon is more useful than filling every gap with a hurried transfer.

Buying from abroad and retrieving the QR ticket

Start from the festival's official purchase instructions, then follow its online-ticket link. Online payment accepts the listed credit-card brands and PayPay; the limit is two tickets per order.

The purchase email is not the admission QR code. From 24 hours before the screening starts, use its confirmation-page link with the confirmation number and the same phone number entered when buying to retrieve the QR code.

Keep the number exactly as submitted, including any prefix or formatting the form accepted. Store it privately alongside the booking reference, not in a public itinerary. Make sure the person holding the confirmation knows how the group will retrieve its tickets.

The instructions do not establish that every overseas card or phone-number format will work. If checkout rejects yours, ask the festival rather than buying a Japanese SIM in the hope of fixing an unrelated payment problem. OpenSim data does not supply proof of a local phone number or bypass verification.

The ticket contact page separates ticket enquiries from general visitor enquiries. For a booking problem, include the film, date and error message without publishing your QR code or payment details.

If a film sells out, can you buy on the day?

The official FAQ says a screening that sells out in advance has no separate same-day allocation. Unpaid reservations can return to sale, but their release time is unpredictable. Student same-day tickets depend on remaining seats.

Check the official seller again if your plans allow it, then choose your backup. Do not commit a non-refundable night to a possible returned seat. The purchase conditions prohibit unauthorized commercial resale, including ticket numbers and QR codes; buying that way risks refused entry.

The FAQ generally rules out exchanges and refunds, with stated exceptions for cancelled screenings. Read the current terms before payment, especially if the session conflicts with your departure.

Hibiya cinemas: check the building and the screen

The venue and access page distinguishes these nearby locations:

For Chanter and Hibiya Screens 12/13, the organizer lists Hibiya Exit A4 and Ginza Exit C1 among nearby approaches. Human Trust is close to JR Yurakucho's Central Exit and subway Exit D7-b. Cine Switch is near Ginza Exit A10.

A map pin for Tokyo Midtown Hibiya does not tell you which entrance serves Screens 12 and 13. Save the screen-specific address and follow the cinema's signage. Navigating adjacent buildings can take longer than their map distance suggests.

For two films, compare the first running time and any discussion with the second venue's entry deadline. Leave a meal break. A nominal half-hour gap is not a reliable transfer plan if you still need to exit, find another building and queue.

Subtitles, arrival time and visiting with children

Check the film's official programme entry for spoken language and subtitles. An English title or English-language booking page does not establish English subtitles. Ask before purchase if the listing is unclear; a translation app is not a substitute during the screening.

The purchase guidance says screenings have no trailers and asks visitors to enter before the film starts. A later purchase cutoff listed elsewhere does not establish a right to arrive late. Reaching the venue about 30 minutes early is a planning margin, not a promised queue time.

The same guidance excludes preschool children except at designated screenings. Check each session's age conditions before buying family tickets. A film in the Youth section is not automatically suitable for every child.

For wheelchair seating, follow the separate October 18 sale process and confirm companion arrangements. The FAQ says Cine Switch Ginza has no wheelchair area. Do not extend one cinema's access arrangements to the whole festival.

Useful apps and a ticket plan for the day

Tokyo Metro's current official app page describes Tokyo Metro my! as a route-planning and service-information app for Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway. Check its language options before depending on it. The operator also has an English route and station website, useful without installing another app.

Save the cinema address and your route home. Check the actual return journey before booking a late film; this guide does not promise overnight trains. Bring a rain layer or compact umbrella for outdoor transfers rather than relying on a long-range forecast.

Within the 24-hour QR window, retrieve the ticket before leaving accommodation. The FAQ permits printed QR tickets as well as display on a smartphone or tablet. A charged phone and a permitted printed copy give you more options than a confirmation email alone. Keep a power bank for the return journey, and do not post ticket images publicly.

OpenSim supplies a separate Japan data allowance for opening confirmation pages, checking train notices and messaging companions away from Wi-Fi. The public catalog checked October 13 lists a Japan 5GB plan for 30 days at USD5.40 with top-up support. Its practical advantage here is a stated data budget for those tasks, rather than depending on finding public Wi-Fi between cinemas.

If existing roaming includes sufficient Japan data without an extra charge, another plan may be unnecessary. Use the travel data calculator, phone compatibility guide and installation timing guide before choosing an OpenSim Japan plan. For broader comparisons, use the Japan eSIM guide. Connectivity cannot reserve a seat, resolve every payment rejection or replace admission rules.

Sources and updates before the festival

Ticket, price and venue details were checked October 13 against the linked 2026 festival pages; transport-app information comes from Tokyo Metro. Follow the selected screening's current conditions when buying. This URL will be reviewed for material changes around the October 17 general sale, October 18 wheelchair sale and October 26 opening, then updated after the November 4 close rather than leaving expired booking advice unqualified.

Photo: Charlie fong's Tokyo Midtown Hibiya west-facade photograph, taken October 21, 2023, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped, resized and compressed to WebP; the adaptation uses the same license. This historical venue image does not show the 2026 festival.