After a hiatus of three years the biennial automotive event, the Japan Mobility Show, will be held from October 28 till November 5, 2023 at the Tokyo Big Sight in Odaiba. Formerly known as the Tokyo Motor Show, the event was last held four years ago in October 2019. This is the first year that Japan Mobility Show is produced under its new name in an endeavor to be more inclusive of the various types of vehicles, not just automobiles.

The theme of this year's event is to encourage visitors to consider the future of transport with a focus on creating a green and environmentally friendly society. Additionally, this year's event also hopes to inspire both adults and children to dream big for the future of mobility. As with previous years, the Japan Mobility Show is held at Tokyo Big Sight, an exhibition and convention center on Odaiba. Detailed information about hours, tickets and access can be found below.

I had the opportunity to attend the Japan Mobility Show on October 25, 2023 before it opened to the public, and thoroughly enjoyed myself. The event is spread over three areas at Tokyo Big Sight - the East Halls, where the main booths are located, the West Halls, for automobile-related technology booths, and the South Halls, containing the children's experience, supercar exhibition and concert areas.

This year, almost all the car makers showcased their electric vehicle line up, a far cry from previous years when only a few electric vehicles could be seen. Off-road vehicles were also popular among the major car manufacturers, which made me wonder if our dystopian, Mad Max future is on the horizon. There was a sizeable section dedicated to recreational vehicles and camping cars, since camping has became popular in the last few years. It was interesting to see the choices available and the many modifications one can make to a van to enhance the outdoor lifestyle.

I enjoyed seeing all the concept cars and was also entertained by the large number of interactive experiences like AI-related activities and driving simulator games as well as test driving some of the personal mobility devices offered at the event.

Opening hours and admission

The Japan Mobility Show is held from October 28 to November 5, 2023 from 10:00 to 19:00 (until 18:00 on Sundays). Tickets must be purchased online, and there are no ticket counters at the venue. Same day tickets cost 3000 yen for adults, while admission tickets after 16:00 costs 1500 yen (not available on Sundays).

Access

Tokyo Big Sight is a couple of minutes walk from the Tokyo Big Sight Station on the Yurikamome Line (22 minutes, 390 yen one way from Shimbashi Station). Alternatively, it is an approximately ten minute walk from Kokusai Tenjijo Station on the Rinkai Line (15 minutes, 340 yen one way from Osaki Station).