Report on Japan's First Shopping Center-Wide Balloon Festival "Japan Balloon Festival 2026 (JBFES2026)"

Japan Balloon Festival 2026

Kishis Co., Ltd. (Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture, Representative Director: Noritaka Kishi) held Japan's first (※self-researched) balloon festival utilizing the entire commercial facility, "Japan Balloon Festival 2026 (hereinafter, JBFES)" at Aeon Mall Nagoya Noritake Garden from June 9 (Tue) to 14 (Sun), 2026.

Under the theme of "Connecting the Potential of Balloons to the Future," this event featured programs for professionals and public events. We are pleased to report that the number of visitors during the event period recorded 1.2 times that of the same period last year on weekends (※2), and it became an opportunity to widely present the potential of the domestic balloon market by engaging both general consumers and industry professionals, including the first-ever holding of a global professional balloon decorating qualification exam in Japan and coverage by major online news outlets due to buzz on social media. ※June 9 (Tue) was a pre-decoration day. ※2 is based on venue research.

Background and Objectives of This Event

JBFES was planned to overturn the image of balloons as "toys for children" or "temporary simple decorations" and to demonstrate their "effectiveness as art, entertainment, and commercial promotion that transforms entire spaces." In Japan, there are many professionals with advanced skills, such as balloon shops and decorators specializing in spatial decoration. Through this event, we aim to visualize their high-level decorating techniques, propose the wide range of expression that balloons offer to general customers, and present their value as effective customer attraction and spatial presentation tools to corporate and local government officials, thereby revitalizing the domestic balloon market and promoting customer traffic to commercial facilities and regional development.

"Professional (BtoB)" x "General Public (BtoC)" Two Approaches and Event Achievements

This festival featured a combination of "professional content" aimed at improving skills and creating business opportunities in the balloon industry, and "entertainment for the general public" that commercial facility visitors could enjoy.

A Festival of Balloons Where Professionals Gather, Create, and Learn

From June 9 (Tue) to June 12 (Fri), programs for balloon professionals were held.

Professionals from Japan and abroad gathered, fostering active technical exchange and information sharing, creating a space for learning and building new networks.

June 9 (Tue)

DAY0 (Video)

Pre-decoration day at the venue

June 10 (Wed)

DAY1 (Video)

Master Balloon Professional Exam

Balloon Contest Artwork Creation

June 11 (Thu)

DAY2 (Video)

Seminars by overseas instructors

Product showcase of new product displays

International exchange dinner

June 12 (Fri)

DAY3 (Video)

Seminars by overseas instructors

Product showcase

Master Balloon Professional & Contest Professional Judging Awards Ceremony

Balloons Are This Fun! Public Events Also a Great Success

On June 13 (Sat) and June 14 (Sun), as public events, we held numerous attractions for the general public, including a balloon decoration rally, SNS posting campaign, contest voting, balloon performance shows, and the "JAM Room," a balloon art experience room where visitors could enjoy activities with professionals. From children to adults, a wide range of generations enjoyed taking photos, viewing artworks, and participating in hands-on activities, filling the venue with smiles all day long.

June 13 (Sat) - 14 (Sun) JBFES DAY4-5

Balloon Decoration Rally

SNS Posting Campaign

General Contest Voting

Four Balloon Performance Shows

"JAM Room" for Balloon Art Experience

The general contest voting received as many as 952 votes, and the event where visitors participated as "judges" was a great success. Each performance show was watched by over 150 people, and the balloon art experience attracted a crowd, with lines forming due to more participants than expected.

Furthermore, the weekend visitor numbers for the entire Aeon Mall were approximately 1.2 times that of the same period in previous years, becoming a successful case study for customer attraction through balloons. On Instagram, videos from the official JBFES account were viewed over 130,000 times in total, and the SNS posting campaign received over 300 submissions, disseminating wonderful balloon art and the activities of balloon artists behind it not only at the venue but also worldwide through social media.

Breathtaking Balloon Decorations Adorning the Venue

During the event, balloon decorations were displayed in over 15 locations throughout the mall, turning the entire venue into a photo spot.

Blooming Harmony: The Path of the Fairies

Sweet House in the Forest

Galaxy of Love: Running transforms the city into art.

Was Nagoya Castle's Shachi an Ebi Fry? Act 1 / Act 2 / Act 3 / Act 4

A Frog: Welcome to JBFES

Nagoya Cochin and the Town of Smiles: Love x Rubber

World of Familiar Stories / Entrance / Little Red Riding Hood - To the Forest / Tanabata Sparkling Stars / Thumbelina / Carriage / Princess Kaguya / Beauty and the Beast / The Bremen Town Musicians

Welcome to the Forest of Balloons: 3F Atrium

Tenmusu

[Professional] Master Balloon Professional Exam

On June 10 (Wed), the professional exam "Master Balloon Professional," organized by Sempertex, a global balloon brand, was held for the first time in Japan, with 8 individuals successfully passing. Those who obtain this qualification are recognized as world-class balloon professionals, enhancing their credibility and brand value, and greatly expanding their potential.

[Professional] JBFES2026 Seminars Aiming for Further Heights

From June 11 (Thu) to June 12 (Fri), four intermediate balloon seminars were conducted by four foreign instructors, with 43 balloon industry professionals from Japan and abroad participating. They learned the latest global trends and skills to improve their level. Additionally, an international exchange dinner was held on the evening of June 11 (Thu), which became a lively venue for active exchange and information sharing among seminar instructors, participants, and industry professionals.

Paola Guarin

Seminar 1: Summer Splash

Instructor: Paola Guarin

(Sempertex Education Manager / from Colombia)

Valentina Rodriguez

Seminar 2: Candy Wonderland

Instructor: Valentina Rodriguez

(Sempertex MBP Program Global Coordinator / from Colombia)

Manson Lam

Seminar 3: Heart Twist

Instructor: Manson Lam

(Multiple world competition winner! World-renowned balloon artist / from Hong Kong)

Song Ari

Seminar 4: Korean Style Balloon Wrapping

Instructor: Song Ari

(JFBA Japan Flower Balloon Association / from South Korea)

[Professional] Product Showcase

In the product showcase held from June 11 (Thu) to 12 (Fri), the latest balloons and materials for professionals were exhibited, attracting approximately 150 visitors.

It was a meaningful exhibition with active information and opinion exchange between exhibiting companies and balloon artists.

[Professional x Public] JBFES2026 Contest Featuring Masterpieces from Artists

[General Voting Winner] Gray Werewolf [Professional Judging Winner] Deep Respect

[Professional Judging & General Voting Winner] Forest Wedding [Professional Judging & General Voting Winner] Anniversary Gift to Decorate the Future of Two

JBFES2026 featured contests in three categories: "Dress & Costume," "Photo Spot," and "Twist Gift 50," showcasing the dedicated works of 24 balloon artists.

In addition to judging by balloon industry professionals, general voting by visitors was also conducted on the public days of June 13 (Sat) and 14 (Sun), with a total of 952 votes cast.

As a result, in the Twist Gift 50 category, Sho Shirokawa's work, and in the Photo Spot category, the team's work by Hiroko Murakami, Kengo Miyao, and Sho Shirokawa were selected as winners in both general voting and professional judging.

Furthermore, in the Dress & Costume category, Shizuka Nagaoka's work was selected as the winner by professional judging.

Evaluation by experts and evaluation by visitors who enjoyed the works firsthand. This event provided an opportunity to showcase the diverse expressive power and potential of balloon art through evaluation from different perspectives.

For details, please refer to the press release below.

Japan's Largest Balloon Festival "Japan Balloon Festival 2026" Grand Prize Winner Determined by Visitor Votes!

[Public] Witness the Magical Moment! Balloon Performance Show

On the public days of June 13 (Sat) and 14 (Sun), shows were held by four balloon performers active both in Japan and abroad. The venue was full an hour before the show started, with such popularity that entry restrictions were imposed. As the show began, applause and hand claps naturally arose, and the venue was filled with great cheers with each completed artwork.

Performer ASUKA

June 13 (Sat) 13:00~ Performer ASUKA

The venue was enlivened by her balloon performance combined with her signature dance moves and her idol-like radiant smile, creating a cheerful atmosphere!

Performer Recto

June 13 (Sat) 15:00~ Performer Recto

At 18 years old, this was his first public performance at JBFES! Adults and children alike were captivated by his dynamic creations completed alongside acrobatic performances.

Balloon-Syotaro

June 14 (Sun) 13:00~ Balloon-Syotaro

The way balloons came to life from his graceful movements was like an illusion! The entire venue was mesmerized by the fantastical show.

Balloon Performer Syan

June 14 (Sun) 15:00~ Balloon Performer Syan

Dancing dragons and lion dances! A "Japanese" performance in line with JBFES's aim to convey the charm of balloons from Japan. The master techniques displayed one after another were breathtaking.

[Public] "JAM Room" - Experience Balloon Art with Professionals

The "JAM Room," exclusively for the public days of June 13 (Sat) and 14 (Sun), was a participatory area where visitors could freely experience balloon art with professional balloon artists. Visitors flocked to the "create it yourself" experience, not just to view the works.

All balloons in the JAM Room were from Sempertex, a rubber balloon manufacturer boasting world-class quality.

In a venue piled high with rubber balloons that are usually hard to get your hands on, many visitors expanded their imagination and enjoyed art freely.

Throughout the mall, many children were seen happily carrying the balloon art they created in the JAM Room.

Event Achievements and Future Prospects: The Potential of Balloons in Customer Attraction, Circulation, and Information Dissemination

Through these initiatives, the number of visitors to the commercial facility during the event period increased significantly compared to normal, bringing direct economic effects. JBFES merged the outstanding technical skills of professionals with hands-on content for the general public. Large-scale decorations in over 15 locations within the mall served as photo spots, and through contest voting, rallies, and hands-on activities, it led to increased circulation within the facility, longer stays, and a positive impact on shopping at individual stores. Furthermore, photos and videos taken by visitors were disseminated on social media, with some posts garnering tens of thousands of reactions and becoming a topic of conversation online. Corporate representatives who visited for observation also highly praised the cost-effectiveness as spatial decoration and its digital dissemination power.

JBFES 2026 has demonstrated that balloons are not just "decorations" but powerful content that generates customer attraction, circulation, experiences, and information dissemination. This festival is planned to be held continuously in the future, aiming to become Japan's leading balloon festival that brings together artists and companies from Japan and abroad.

Japan Balloon Festival 2026 Overview (Event Ended)

Event Name: Japan Balloon Festival 2026 (JBFES2026) Date: June 9 (Tue) - June 14 (Sun), 2026 ※June 9 (Tue) was a pre-decoration day

※Public Events: June 13 (Sat) - 14 (Sun) Venue: Aeon Mall Nagoya Noritake Garden Organizer: Kishis Co., Ltd.

Official Website: https://jbfes.jp/JBFES_2026.html

Public Event Overview: https://jbfes.jp/jbfes-2026-events.html

Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/japanballoonfestival

JBFES2026 Sponsors

Aeon Mall Nagoya Noritake Garden, Aichi Toyota, Sempertex, SAG Balloons, TYK Promotion, Betallic, Anagram, Partydeco

Contact Information

Organizer: Kishis Co., Ltd.

Contact: JBFES Public Relations

Address: 2-7-17 Nagano, Nishi-ku, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture

Phone Number: 052-563-4681

e-mail: [email protected]

https://www.kishis.co.jp