A must-see for food business operators who want to take on the challenge of exporting x content overseas! Special program for food business operators who want to utilize IP contents! Started to apply for "Briefing Session Caravan" in 5 cities nationwide!

The "Ani-Monozukuri Award" (hosted by Ani-Monozukuri Award Executive Committee and co-hosted by Kyoto International Manga & Anime Fair 2026 Executive Committee and KYOTO CMEX Executive Committee), which honors outstanding corporate collaborations utilizing animation, manga, and characters, will hold a five-city "Briefing Caravan" for food-related businesses and others in five cities across Japan (Tokyo, Kyoto, Nagoya, Sapporo, and Fukuoka). The Kyoto International Manga & Anime Fair 2026 Executive Committee, co-organized by the Kyoto International Manga & Anime Fair 2026 Executive Committee and the KYOTO CMEX Organizing Committee, started accepting applications on May 29, 2026.

This initiative, supported by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), supports collaboration between content originating from Japan (animation, manga, characters, etc.) and food-related businesses aiming for overseas markets.

The government, led by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), is currently aiming to further expand exports of agricultural, forestry, and fisheries products and foodstuffs, and is promoting effective promotion utilizing Japanese strengths such as anime and other content in order to convey the appeal of Japanese food and food culture overseas.

Specifically, the "Japanese Food Overseas Promotion Collaboration Special Award," a special award for this award, was established and the call for entries for this category began on May 11 (Monday). In addition, a "Briefing Session Caravan" where participants can learn how to utilize contents and a "Practical Intensive Course on Overseas Food Collaboration" will be held.

Official visual of the Ani-Monozukuri Award Special Project "Japanese Food Overseas Popularization Collaboration" Support Project

Project Contents No.1

Establishment of the "Special Award for Collaboration in Promoting Japanese Food Abroad" as a special award of the "Animono Manufacturing Award" and call for entries

We have newly established the "Japanese Food Overseas Popularization Collaboration Special Award" and have begun accepting entries for this award. Entries are now being accepted for cases in which Japanese food products and food culture are exported and popularized overseas by utilizing Japanese IP content.

<Entry Guidelines

Eligibility: Outstanding examples of product collaboration and advertising promotions utilizing Japanese IP content, original characters, etc. for the purpose of promoting foods, processed foods, seasonings, etc. related to Japanese agriculture, forestry, marine products, and food culture to overseas consumers.

Application period: Monday, May 11, 2026 - Tuesday, June 30, 2026

Award Ceremony Date: September 19 (Sat) or 20 (Sun), 2026

Venue of Award Ceremony: "Kyoto International Manga/Anime Fair 2026

＜Selection Committee

The selection committee for this special award includes experts in the fields of entertainment, licensing business, and food.

Takeshi Natsuno (Director, Institute of Informatics, Kinki University, Professor by special invitation, President and CEO, KADOKAWA Co.)

Kazuo Rikugawa (President, Character Data Bank; Executive Director, Character Brand License Association)

Atsuo Nakayama (Entertainment Sociologist)

Azusa Matsuda (SPJA VP of Business Development)

Chiho Gunji (Food Coordinator)

(Titles omitted, in no particular order)

Business Details No.2

Implementation of the "Caravan of Briefing Sessions" in 5 cities nationwide (mid to late June)

Briefing sessions will be held in five cities across Japan for food-related businesses to increase interest in the project and encourage them to take the first step in utilizing the contents. At the briefing sessions, introductory seminars will be held on how to apply for the "Ani-Monozukuri Award" special prize and on promotion using characters, animation, and other content.

<Outline of the event

Venue: Tokyo, Kyoto, Nagoya, Sapporo, Fukuoka

Main contents: ・Outline of the "Japanese Food Overseas Promotion Collaboration Special Award," how to apply, and explanation of the rules and regulations.

　　　　　　　Introductory seminar on the promotion of Japanese food using characters, animation, and other content.

　　　　　　　　Introductory seminar on promotion, etc., utilizing contents such as characters and animations, etc.

　　　　　　　Explanation and application for the "Practical Intensive Course for Overseas Food Collaboration" to be described later.

Target: Food-related businesses, local media, and companies that are already working on or would like to consider using content in the future.

　　　　　　　Food-related businesses, local media, food-related industry associations, etc.

Participation fee: Free of charge

Companies and organizations wishing to participate are requested to apply from the following link. (Advance application required)

For more information on the "Briefing Session Caravan," please visit the special website.

URL: https://jfcollabo.animono.jp/

Application period: Friday, May 29, 2026 - Friday, June 19, 2026

Business Contents No.3

Substantial course program and follow-up to support the implementation of content collaboration

Practical programs are provided to enable food business operators to actually take on the challenge of overseas exports and collaborations utilizing the contents in the following fiscal year and beyond.

(1) "Practical Intensive Course for Overseas Food Collaboration" (2 sessions in July and October-November / capacity of about 50 people/organizations)

Practical and highly specialized intensive courses based on overseas case studies will be held by inviting experts in licensing business operations, legal experts, and experts in collaboration and promotion. This is an intensive course for a limited number of participants, so it is targeted at food-related businesses with a high intention of conducting collaborations.

Format : Online

Target: Participants of the "Briefing Session Caravan," based on a questionnaire survey.

　　　　　Food-related business operators with high intention of starting a business will be selected based on the questionnaire.

Participation fee: Free of charge

Capacity : Approx. 50 people/organizations

(2) Online follow-up consultation (mid-August to the end of February of the following year / once a month)

Individual consultations will be held online for participants of the above "Intensive Practical Overseas Food Collaboration Course" (approx. 8 sessions of 30 minutes each). We will support them in solving their problems so that they can actually practice food collaboration for overseas export.

What is the "Ani-Monozukuri Award"?

In recent years, due to the national success of anime works and the increase in anime fans of all ages, more and more companies and corporations that have had no direct relationship with anime have had opportunities to collaborate with anime, and this has attracted much attention. A variety of examples have emerged, including collaborations with anime in a wide range of industries, such as automobiles, food and beverage manufacturers, distribution, AR and VR ventures, and traditional crafts, as well as an increasing number of organizations actively planning anime-mediated content tourism, known as pilgrimages to sacred places. The "Ani-Monozukuri Award" has been held in Japan since 2004. The "Ani-Monozukuri Award" was established in 2017 with the aim of increasing the number of high quality collaborative contents by awarding excellent works from among such collaborations, and by widely publicizing the efforts of companies and organizations. Kyoto City, which has deep ties to anime culture and is home to many manufacturing companies in traditional and cutting-edge industries, will promote "Ani-Monozukuri" throughout the country and to the world.

Terminology: Ani-Monozukuri

A new movement is gaining momentum that utilizes anime and other content for "monozukuri" and "koto zukuri" (making things). Ani-Monozukuri" refers to new business values, technologies, cultures, products, and services created by combining Japan's strength in "animation" and "monozukuri" or "kotozukuri.

Ani-Monozukuri Award 2026 Logo

For inquiries from the general public, please contact

◆Ani-Monozukuri Award Executive Committee (Secretariat: within Anime Business Create Co., Ltd.)

E-mail: jfcollabo@animono.jp

For application details, please visit the official website of "Ani-Monozukuri Award" → https://animono.jp