SMARTCITY × TOKYO 2026: free networking for international professionals

Tokyo Metropolitan Government will hold SMARTCITY × TOKYO 2026 on Thursday, 15 October, from 14:00 to 17:00 at TAKANAWA GATEWAY Convention Center. Attendance is free, but advance registration is required by noon on Friday, 9 October. An online option is also available.

The afternoon combines short presentations, two expert panels and a 45-minute networking session. It is particularly relevant to international professionals working in urban technology, mobility, public services, data, infrastructure or startup collaboration.

SMARTCITY × TOKYO 2026 at a glance

The official Tokyo Metropolitan Government event page was still showing participation as open when checked on 3 October.

What is on the programme?

The event opens with presentations from companies working on smart-city services. The participating organisations listed by Tokyo include avatarin, Ashirase, Honda, Hyper Digital Twins, Kiviaq, MetaTech, Pulsiv8 and the Tokyo Digital Twin Project.

A separate project presentation will examine the planned social use of drone logistics services in Tokyo. Two panel discussions follow:

• Expanding co-creation, evolving smart cities, with speakers from the University of Tokyo, Kyoto Prefecture, Maebashi and Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
• AX opens the door to the future of smart cities, with speakers from the University of Tokyo, East Japan Railway Company, ARISE analytics and Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

The formal programme finishes at 16:15. In-person participants then have until 17:00 for networking and introductions.

Who will get the most value from attending?

This is more useful as a working event than as a general technology exhibition. The strongest fit is for:

• international founders and startup teams looking for Japanese public-sector or corporate contacts;
• professionals in mobility, logistics, digital twins, accessibility, data and urban infrastructure;
• investors and advisers following Japan’s city-technology market;
• researchers and local-government staff interested in public-private projects; and
• international residents who work with Tokyo-based technology or business networks.

The company demonstrations provide a quick view of current projects, but the final networking block is likely to be the main reason to attend in person. Online participation is a practical alternative for people outside Tokyo, although it will not offer the same informal access to speakers and exhibitors.

How do you register?

Registration is through the official participation form. The stated deadline is noon on 9 October, but the 150 in-person places may fill sooner. The organiser has not stated a limit for online attendance.

The English event page does not specify the working language of every session or whether interpretation will be provided. International participants who need English-language support should confirm this with the SMARTCITY × TOKYO Management Office before booking travel.

How do you reach the venue?

TAKANAWA GATEWAY Convention Center is directly connected to Takanawa Gateway Station on the JR Yamanote and Keihin-Tohoku lines. The venue says the journey takes about eight minutes from Tokyo Station, 14 minutes from Shibuya and 21 minutes from Shinjuku.

For Conference Hall C, leave through the station’s south ticket gates and follow signs into THE LINKPILLAR 1 SOUTH, then continue to the sixth-floor conference area. The venue also publishes a step-free route using the second-floor combined entrance and lifts. Full directions are available on the convention centre’s official access page.

Before you go

• Register before noon on 9 October.
• Choose the in-person option early if networking is important.
• Confirm language or interpretation arrangements if needed.
• Bring a concise introduction and contact details for the networking session.
• Recheck the official event page for programme changes.

Last verified: 3 October 2026. Featured image: TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY Convention Center by Mr.Asylum, dedicated to the public domain under CC0 1.0 via Wikimedia Commons.