From January 21 to 23, LIVeNT 2026, Japan’s premier live entertainment and events industry trade fair, was held at the Makuhari Messe. Reporting resounding success, a total of 3,271 visitors flocked to the exhibition to discover the latest in stage design, stadium equipment, event planning, amusement park rides and more. The halls were alive with exciting attractions in every corner. Once an hour, the Drone Show Demonstration Stage showcased choreographed drone performances that wowed spectators. Providing hands-on experiences, the Immersive Performance & Experience Stage allowed guests to test out interactive LED live shows and games. Japan’s leading MICE news outlet POP Inc. spoke with exhibitors to learn more about the hottest new trends.
Indoor play equipment manufacturer Funlandia designs custom play areas for entertainment centers featuring various types of equipment. Their product lines are curated into two main categories: “Adventure Play” and “Children Play.” Adventure Play focuses on exciting installations in trampoline parks and indoor adventure parks, including the iconic “Super Runio,” which is an interactive obstacle course. Children Play offers play products for all age groups.
Funlandia works to instill meaning into play that promotes physical and social development with goal of allowing everyone to “relive their childhoods.” Based out of Shanghai, and having achieved success throughout the world, the company is looking to expand their operations in Japan, which currently contains a handful of Funlandia-made parks.
Funlandia’s homepage: https://funlandia.com/
Ruifan Japan, creator of the iconic “KING BLADE” penlight, returned this year with their newest lineup of light-up products. Over the years, the manufacturer has expanded their scope, and in addition to the classic stick-light, they now offer rings, wristbands, bangles, badges, and even fan-shaped lights. Users can custom-order these lights to represent their musical group, sports team, or anime. An exciting innovation revealed at LIVeNT was the KING BLADE “Synchro Light”. The Synchro Light allows multiple Ruifan products to be linked in order to change colors simultaneously.
The main event of their exhibit, arguably, was the demonstration of the “RAVE: Radio Activated Visual Emotion” technology. RAVE uses wireless technology to control individual penlights and create color patterns that connect with live performances. Ruifan pulled no punches in showcasing the technology with a massive wall of penlights that dazzled visitors and dominated the surrounding area.
Ruifan homepage: https://ruifan.co.jp/
In the gaming area, Kita Nihon Tsushin Kogyo and Shibuya Rex joined forces to reproduce an arcade in the exhibition hall to showcase a collection of arcade game machines. Attendees were able to try their hands at crane games, whac-a-mole, and “Astral Strike” air hockey that releases up to 3 pucks at random after each goal. Kita Nihon Tsushin rents out these machines, and Shibuya Rex provides the merchandise to be used as prizes in crane games. Through this collaboration, they help supply thousands of arcades throughout Japan and across the globe. While Japanese arcade machines have been steadily rising in popularity in other countries, gaming enthusiasts still flock to Japanese arcades to experience their unique charms.
Kita Nihon Tsushin Kogyo homepage: https://www.knt-com.info/
Shibuya Rex homepage: https://shibuyarex.com/
The next edition of LIVeNT will be held from January 27 to 29, 2027, at the Makuhari Messe. Admission is free of charge for all live entertainment and event industry professionals.
