For figure and garage-kit fans, Wonder Festival is basically a twice-a-year holiday. The new Wonder Festival 2026 [Winter] edition is set for February 8, 2026 at Makuhari Messe, and this time the event is opening with a record number of dealers, a big Ultra Kaiju collaboration and a fresh wave of ticket options rolling out from early December.
Inside Wonder Festival, the World’s Biggest Figure Day
Wonder Festival, or “WonFes”, started back in 1984 as a place where professional manufacturers and hardcore amateurs could sell and show off their model kits side by side. Over 40 years later it has grown into one of the world’s biggest figure and garage-kit events, filling Makuhari Messe twice a year with everything from anime heroines to tanks and monsters.
Record-Breaking 2,264 Dealers Lined Up for 2026 Winter
The 2026 Winter edition raises the bar with 2,264 general dealers plus 79 corporate booths, the largest lineup in the event’s history. Tables will be packed with one-day licensed character kits, original sculpts, dolls, scale models and sofubi, ranging from first-time circles to long-running veteran studios. In short: more tables means more chances to discover that one figure you did not know you needed.
Tickets, Time Slots and Discounts for Wonder Festival Fans
As usual, you can choose how intense you want your WonFes to be. Priority entry tickets cost 7,500 yen and are sold first via a KAIYODO Visa members lottery, then via a general lottery. Standard advance tickets are 3,500 yen, with a U22 discount at 2,200 yen and an afternoon-only ticket at 2,300 yen if you enter after 13:00. Same-day tickets are 4,000 yen, and children in elementary school or younger get in free with a guardian.
Ultra Kaiju WonFes Puts Tsuburaya Monsters in the Spotlight
The key visual for 2026 Winter turns the venue into a festival day, with mascot characters Wonder-chan and Reset-chan cosplaying as classic Ultra Kaiju Gudon and Twin Tail. It ties into the special project “Ultra Kaiju WonFes”, created with Tsuburaya Productions as the Ultra series heads toward the 60th anniversary of Ultra Q and Ultraman. A dedicated area will showcase one-day-license Ultra Kaiju works from participating dealers.
Things to Expect at Makuhari Messe’s Figure Wonderland
On the show floor you will find one-of-a-kind garage kits, new items and limited editions, but that is only part of the charm. Stage events, hands-on areas where you can try painting or assembly, food spots and a huge cosplay scene all help turn the convention center into a full-day otaku playground. Even if you only buy a couple of kits, wandering the halls and watching creators show off their work is an experience on its own.
Global Spin-Offs and Overseas Visitors Growing Each Year
In recent years Wonder Festival has expanded beyond Japan with events in Shanghai, Korea and Bangkok, and in May 2026 it will even team up with MomoCon for a U.S. edition in Georgia. That global spread mirrors what already happens at Makuhari: more and more overseas visitors fly in, combining WonFes with wider Japan trips and treating the event like a pilgrimage for figure collectors.
Planning Your Own One-Day Pilgrimage to Wonder Festival
If this sounds like your kind of chaos, start by checking the English-friendly info on the Wonder Festival 2026 [Winter] special site and the Makuhari Messe event page, then pick the ticket type that matches how early you want to line up. The show runs from 10:00 to 17:00 on February 8, 2026 across Halls 1–8, so wear comfy shoes, bring cashless payment options and maybe an extra suitcase. And of course, follow the official X account at WF_officialinfo for late-breaking dealer lists and floor maps—your future favorite figure might already be waiting in someone’s booth. ✨
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