Exhibiting at a Trade Show in Japan: The Phone-Call Checklist

8 weeks out

Exhibiting in Japan is very doable, but much of the coordination happens by phone and in Japanese. Organizers often have English support for the big things. The small things, such as a contractor's delivery window or a hotel's parcel rules, usually need a call. Planning those calls by week keeps them manageable.

If you're still choosing a show, Trade Show Guide Japan lists and compares trade shows across Japan. Once you're booked, start here:

1. Organizer: read the exhibitor manual, 出展者マニュアル (shuttensha manyuaru), and note every deadline: booth design approval, electricity and internet orders, badges, and move-in times.
2. Booth contractor: if you're using a local builder, confirm the design, materials, and who submits drawings to the organizer.
3. Hotels: book rooms near the venue now. Rooms near major venues fill quickly during big shows.
4. Printing: decide on business cards, flyers and banners. Japanese business cards, 名刺 (meishi), matter, and you'll go through more than you expect.
5. Shipping plan: decide whether goods and samples go by freight forwarder, courier, or in your luggage. Check whether customs paperwork is needed [VERIFY: temporary import rules such as ATA Carnet for exhibition goods].

4 weeks out

This is when most of the phone calls happen. Typical ones:

• Organizer or venue: confirm move-in and move-out times, loading dock rules, and where couriers should deliver. Many venues only accept deliveries in set windows.
• Couriers: book delivery of boxes to the venue on move-in day, with your booth number and company name on every label. Ask about return shipping at the end.
• Hotel: if you're sending boxes to the hotel, call to check they'll accept them and how many. Some hotels limit parcel numbers or sizes.
• Printer: approve proofs and confirm the delivery address and date. For English-language printing delivered to your venue or hotel, Print Japan handles cards, flyers, banners and booth graphics.
• Rentals: furniture, monitors, refrigerators for samples, or coffee machines. Ask the organizer for official suppliers first.
• Interpreters and staff: if you need booth help, book now. Good interpreters are often booked early for big shows.

Our trade show concierge can take over these calls in Japanese and keep a record of every confirmation.

Show week

Confirm everything again. In Japan, a quick confirmation call, 確認の電話 (kakunin no denwa), is normal and appreciated.

1. Courier: check that boxes are on schedule for move-in day, using the tracking numbers.
2. Booth contractor: confirm arrival time, the booth number and a mobile number for the crew lead.
3. Hotel: confirm room bookings, early check-in if needed, and parcels waiting for you.
4. Restaurants: confirm customer dinners, with the number of guests and any dietary needs.
5. Transport: for heavy items, book a taxi or van to the venue in advance. Ask whether the taxi company can send a larger car.
6. Supplier meetings: confirm the time, place and attendees for any meetings outside the venue. Ask who will meet you at reception, and how to find the right building and floor.

It's also worth sharing a simple schedule with your team: who arrives when, who has the booth keys or passes, and who is the main contact for suppliers. On move-in day, that one name and phone number matters more than anything else.

During the show

Something small always comes up. The most common calls during the show:

• A box hasn't arrived, and you need the courier to find it.
• You've run out of business cards or flyers and need a fast reprint.
• You need a dinner booked for a customer tonight, for six, near the station.
• A visitor wants a follow-up meeting at their office, and you need to confirm the time with their assistant.
• Something broke and you need a replacement part or rental item.

Keep a short list of phone numbers: organizer office, contractor crew lead, courier depot, hotel and your restaurant bookings. For group meals, our guide on booking restaurants that only take phone reservations has a script you can use.

After the show

1. Move-out: follow the organizer's move-out times. Venues are often strict about clearing booths on time.
2. Return shipping: book the courier pickup from the venue, or send boxes back to your hotel or office. Labels and forms should be ready before the show closes.
3. Rentals: confirm collection times for anything you hired.
4. Follow-up: in Japan, a polite follow-up email or call soon after the show is expected. Some contacts may prefer a phone call in Japanese to set up a meeting.
5. Feedback: note what went well for next year, including which suppliers you'd use again.

Making the calls easier

Whoever makes the calls, a little preparation saves a lot of back-and-forth. Japanese businesses tend to value precise details and written confirmation, so it helps to have everything in one place.

1. Make one fact sheet. Show name, venue, hall, booth number, your company name in English and Japanese if you have it, move-in and move-out times, and one local phone number.
2. Use the same names everywhere. Put the company name on courier labels, hotel bookings and orders exactly as it appears in the organizer's exhibitor list. Mismatched names are a common reason deliveries get held at the venue.
3. Ask for confirmation in writing. After a call, ask the supplier to send an email or fax confirming what was agreed. Many Japanese companies still use fax for orders [VERIFY: how common fax still is among venue contractors].
4. Allow for business hours. Many offices close on weekends and public holidays, and some suppliers take a long break at New Year and during Obon. Plan calls for weekday office hours in Japan time.
5. Keep a call log. Note who you spoke to, what they confirmed and any reference number. It makes problems during the show much faster to solve.

If your team doesn't speak Japanese, decide early who will handle these calls, so suppliers have one consistent contact from the first call to the last.