San Japan
San Japan is a fan-run annual anime and gaming convention held Labor Day Weekend at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas. It serves anime fans, artists, vendors, and gamers via tiered badges, Artist Alley, tournaments, and themed events.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersSan Antonio, Texas, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What San Japan does
San Japan is a privately held, fan-run annual anime and gaming convention organized as San Japan LLC and held each Labor Day Weekend at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in downtown San Antonio, Texas, adjacent to the San Antonio Grand Hyatt and Marriott Riverwalk hotels. Founded in 2007 with the operating LLC formalized in 2015, the convention positions itself as the largest anime and gaming convention in the South Texas region, drawing an anticipated ~20,000 attendees against venue capacity of 40,000+, having hosted 17,000+ attendees in 2017. It serves multiple customer segments — individual anime and gaming fans, fan artists, indie creators, commercial dealers, competitive gamers, cosplayers, and industry guests — through a single annual multi-day event that combines badge-based access with deep programming content.
San Japan firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- San Japan
- Legal name
- San Japan LLC
- Website
- https://san-japan.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- San Japan is a fan-run annual anime and gaming convention held Labor Day Weekend at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas. It serves anime fans, artists, vendors, and gamers via tiered badges, Artist Alley, tournaments, and themed events.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
San Japan industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Convention and Event Services
- NAICS
- Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711), Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- General Consumer Expos & Trade Shows (MPAGAFAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Retail, Consumer Goods & Lifestyle Shows Organizers (THAHABAJ), Collectibles & Hobby Shows (MPAGAFAN), Nightclub & Small Live Venue Operations (Clubs, Bars with Stages) (MPAGALAF)
Keywords
Where San Japan is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Antonio, Texas
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
San Japan business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Attendee Badge Sales: Primary revenue stream from selling convention badges (1-day, 2-day, 3-day, child, Gold, Premiere passes) with tiered pricing based on pre-registration timing. Pre-registration tiers range from $72.50 to $95.00 for 3-day passes, with Gold Passes at $255 and Premiere Passes at $190. On-site pricing is higher.
- Artist Alley Table Sales: Revenue from selling tables and booths to fan artists and indie artists. Fan Art Tables are $285 + platform fee, Indie Artist Booths are $485, and Unlimited Tables sections are $1,085, each including convention badges. Additional Artist Alley badges sold separately.
- Dealer/Vendor Booth Sales: Revenue from vendor booths in the Dealer's Room, with dealers required to purchase booth space at the convention center.
- Premium Pass Upgrades: Gold Pass ($255) and Premiere Pass ($190) provide premium benefits including early event access, VIP brunch with guests, exclusive merch, and priority autograph sessions, generating incremental revenue above standard badges.
- Gaming Tournament Entry Fees: Revenue from console tournament registrations through Start.gg, including fighting game tournaments and other competitive gaming events.
- Special Event Tickets: Revenue from paid events including Maid Cafe tickets, Formal Masquerade Dance charity tickets ($5 suggested donation), Cosplay Show Orchestra seat tickets, and Meet & Greet sessions. Some events like the 18+ Night Market have separate ticket requirements.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | 3-Day Pass - Tier 1 Pre-Reg (March 15 - April 15) |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | 3-Day Pass - Tier 2 Pre-Reg (April 16 - July 14) |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | 3-Day Pass - Online Pricing (July 15 - September 5) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 1-Day Passes (Online, from July 15) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 2-Day Pass (Saturday/Sunday) |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Gold Pass (Limited to 150) |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Premiere Pass (Limited to 400) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Child Pass (Ages 6-12) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Fan Artist Table |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Indie Artist Booth |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Unlimited Tables Section |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Group Discounts (3-Day Pass Only) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | On-Site Pricing (2025 reference) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels10 records
San Japan product offering
Product offeringCore offering
San Japan operates a multi-day fan-run anime and gaming convention held annually over Labor Day Weekend at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas. The convention sells tiered attendee badges (1-day, 2-day, 3-day, child), premium Gold and Premiere passes, Artist Alley tables for fan artists, vendor booths for dealers, and tournament entry fees for competitive gaming. Revenue is supplemented by sponsorships, charity events, and ticketed specialty programming such as the Maid Cafe, Formal Masquerade Dance, Idol Festival, and 18+ Night Market.
Product overview
San Japan is an anime and gaming convention that operates as a fan-run organization providing an annual convention experience in San Antonio, Texas. The convention offers a single unified event experience that combines multiple product lines: general admission badges providing access to the convention floor, premium Gold and Premiere passes offering enhanced benefits, an Artist Alley marketplace with fan art tables and indie artist booths, competitive gaming tournaments with formal rulesets, diverse programming through panels and guest appearances, cosplay competitions and shows, themed events including Maid Cafe and Formal Masquerade Dance, and specialty events like the Idol Festival and Anime Car Show. The convention is held annually at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center during Labor Day Weekend.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- San Japan Convention General Admission The primary annual anime and gaming convention event held at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas during Labor Day Weekend. Provides all-access badges (1-day, 2-day, 3-day, child) for attendees to participate in panels, gaming, Artist Alley, Dealer Room, cosplay events, and themed programming.
- Artist Alley Marketplace Fan art marketplace featuring fan art tables, unlimited tables, and indie artist booths where artists sell original fan art, prints, and crafts. Includes lottery (Fan Tables, Unlimited Tables) and jury (Indie Artist) application processes with strict capacity caps.
- Gaming Tournaments and Console Competitions Competitive gaming section featuring console tournaments with official rules covering controller specifications, SOCD cleaning, tournament pools, and double-elimination brackets. Includes fighting game and other console tournaments registered through Start.gg.
- Gold Pass Premium 3-day attendee badge priced at $255 offering first-in-line event access, personalized badge, exclusive merchandise, Sunday VIP brunch with guests, free convention T-shirt, exclusive Sunday autograph time block, and early dealer room access. Limited to 150 passes per event.
- Premiere Pass Premium 3-day badge priced at $190 offering front-of-the-line access for all autograph sessions, VIP brunch access, and exclusive Sunday autograph time block. Limited to 400 passes per event.
- Maid Cafe Themed dining experience offering food and beverages in a maid cafe setting. Tickets sold separately from general admission.
- Formal Masquerade Dance Charity formal dance event with strict dress code requirements including masks, formal attire, and limited ticket availability.
- San Japan Idol Festival (SJIF) Idol-focused event celebrating Japanese idol culture with performances and meet-and-greet opportunities with overseas music acts.
- 18+ Night Market Adult-oriented evening event within the convention featuring age-restricted activities and entertainment, with separate ticket requirements.
- Cosplay Show and Contest Cosplay competition featuring pre-judging sessions and main stage performances. Includes the Hall Cosplay Contest and ticketed middle orchestra seats for the main cosplay show.
- Panels and Programming Educational and entertainment programming including industry panels, fan-run panels, guest Q&As, and fandom meetings. Approved panelists can earn complimentary or discounted badges based on programming hours.
- Electronic Dance Events All-ages EDM dance events held Friday and Saturday nights at the Grand Hyatt with multiple DJs performing.
- Itasha Wonderland Anime Car Show Exhibition event featuring decorated anime-themed vehicles and car culture from the fandom community.
- AMV Contest Anime Music Video competition where creators submit and screen their fan-made AMVs for judging and audience awards.
- Art Contest Juried art competition for original artwork with submissions reviewed and winners selected in various categories.
- Swap Meet Marketplace area where attendees can buy, sell, and trade anime, gaming, and fandom-related collectibles and merchandise.
- Bitforce Jamspace Dedicated gaming space for indie gaming activities and jam sessions at the convention.
Companies that use San Japan
Customer profileSegments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
San Japan technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
San Japan partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- GamersuppsminorGamerSupps is listed as a sponsor of San Japan, providing brand visibility on the convention's sponsor page. The partnership offers GamerSupps exposure to the anime and gaming convention audience.
- Gallery PandaminorGallery Panda is listed as a sponsor on the San Japan website, providing marketing exposure to their audience of anime and gaming fans.
- Lumino IncminorLumino Inc is listed as a sponsor on the San Japan website, providing brand visibility to the convention audience.
- Anime TokyominorAnime Tokyo is listed as a sponsor, representing a Japanese anime retail/distribution company with a presence at the convention.
- HobbyTown (San Antonio, TX)minorHobbyTown is listed as a sponsor, providing local hobby retail visibility to the San Japan audience.
- Henry B. Gonzalez Convention CentercoreThe Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center serves as the primary venue for San Japan, hosting exhibit halls for Artist Alley and the Dealer's Room, panel rooms, main stage events, and registration. This is a critical venue partnership for the convention's operations.
- Grand Hyatt San AntoniocoreThe Grand Hyatt San Antonio serves as the primary host hotel, providing hotel meeting space, convention suites, EDM dance venues, and hotel room blocks for attendees and volunteers. San Japan is required to fill a certain number of hotel rooms to maintain access to meeting space.
- Marriott Riverwalk San AntoniocoreThe Marriott Riverwalk serves as an additional host hotel, providing overflow accommodation and meeting space for the convention.
- TopDeck (Crimson Lion Showdown Throwdown)minorTopDeck.gg is partnered with San Japan to host the Crimson Lion Showdown Throwdown gaming event at the convention, providing tournament organization and event management for the gaming tournament.
- TicketSpicecoreTicketSpice is the online registration and ticketing platform used by San Japan to sell all convention badges and passes online. It handles payment processing and ticket delivery for pre-registration and online sales.
- Start.ggcoreStart.gg is the tournament management platform used by San Japan for console gaming tournament registrations, providing bracket management and tournament operations for competitive gaming events.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
San Japan competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Anime NYC: A major anime convention held annually in New York City. Anime NYC competes for the same fandom consumer with similar programming (panels, guests, Artist Alley, gaming) and is a direct peer in the same product category.
- Otakon: Long-running anime convention with events in Las Vegas and previously Washington DC. Otakon offers a directly comparable fan-driven, multi-track anime/gaming convention experience competing for overlapping attendee demographics.
- MAGFest: Music and Gaming Festival is a fan-run, multi-day convention with strong overlap in gaming tournaments, anime-adjacent content, and community-driven programming. MAGFest is highly comparable in operating model and in its emphasis on gaming alongside pop culture.
- Anime Boston: Anime Boston is a New England-based anime convention with a comparable multi-day, fan-run format, similar programming mix (panels, Artist Alley, gaming tournaments, cosplay), and a similar mid-size attendee scale.
- Anime Expo: The largest anime convention in North America, held annually in Los Angeles. Anime Expo is the most direct comparable to San Japan in terms of anime/gaming content, attendee demographic, and multi-day convention format, though at significantly greater scale.
- A-Kon: Texas-based anime convention (Dallas/Fort Worth) and one of the oldest running anime cons in the US. A-Kon competes directly with San Japan for Texas-based anime fans and shares the same general product offering (guests, Artist Alley, gaming, cosplay).
Regional players
- Ikkicon: Austin-based anime convention directly competing with San Japan for the same Texas attendee pool. Ikkicon shares the fan-run convention model, anime/gaming content, and price-sensitive demographic.
- Anime Matsuri: Houston-based anime and Japanese culture convention operating in the same Texas market. Anime Matsuri is a regional peer with comparable programming and audience overlap with San Japan.
- Anime Fest: Dallas-based anime convention with a similar fan-run, multi-day format. Anime Fest is a regional peer operating in the same Texas metro area as San Japan with overlapping programming and audience.
Broad incumbents
- San Diego Comic-Con: The largest pop culture convention in the US, encompassing anime, gaming, and broader fandom content. While much broader than San Japan, Comic-Con sets the ceiling for convention scale and competes indirectly for the same fandom dollars and guest talent.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
San Japan social profiles
Digital presenceSan Japan financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
San Japan leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
San Japan funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
San Japan M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about San Japan
What does San Japan do?
San Japan operates a multi-day fan-run anime and gaming convention held annually over Labor Day Weekend at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas. The convention sells tiered attendee badges (1-day, 2-day, 3-day, child), premium Gold and Premiere passes, Artist Alley tables for fan artists, vendor booths for dealers, and tournament entry fees for competitive gaming. Revenue is supplemented by sponsorships, charity events, and ticketed specialty programming such as the Maid Cafe, Formal Masquerade Dance, Idol Festival, and 18+ Night Market.
Is San Japan a public or private company?
San Japan is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was San Japan founded?
San Japan was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is San Japan based?
San Japan is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, United States, in the North America region.
How does San Japan make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Attendee Badge Sales are the primary driver. The others are artist Alley Table Sales, dealer/Vendor Booth Sales, premium Pass Upgrades, gaming Tournament Entry Fees and special Event Tickets.
Who are San Japan's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Anime NYC, Otakon, MAGFest, Anime Boston, Anime Expo and A-Kon. Regional players are Ikkicon, Anime Matsuri and Anime Fest. San Diego Comic-Con is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does San Japan have an API?
No public API is recorded for San Japan.
What industry is San Japan in?
San Japan's product category is Convention and Event Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGAFAA, General Consumer Expos & Trade Shows, with a secondary code of THAHABAJ, Retail, Consumer Goods & Lifestyle Shows Organizers. Its NAICS code is 56192 and its SIC code is 7900.