AboutSan Japan

San Japan 2024

The Convention

Formed in fall 2005, San Japan, LLC is a fan-run organization providing an annual anime-focused convention. We supply high-quality entertainment and education while fostering a safe and fun environment for all our attendees. We strive to cultivate an acceptance and appreciation of anime and related fandoms in South Texas.

Our Mission

San Japan strives to provide an opportunity for all participating cultures. For participants to come together in appreciation of Japanese animation and other unique aspects from surrounding Asian and Fan Cultures.

Our History

San Japan was started in late 2005 by a group of volunteers. They worked together to bring a different type of Japanese fan and animation convention to San Antonio, Texas.

A one-day event called San Japan: Zero Day Anime was organized at Our Lady of the Lake University to give people a sample of what to expect from the main convention. Over 800 people attended this event.

The inaugural three-day convention was held in San Antonio, Texas, on August 8-10, 2008. It was a success, with over 3500 attendees at the convention. Afterward, planning was immediately started for the second year, called San Japan 2.x. In its next two subsequent years, San Japan showed continued growth, with attendance reaching nearly 7000 attendees by 2011.

In 2012, San Japan moved to the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center and the San Antonio Grand Hyatt Hotel, the largest hotel and convention center within the San Antonio city limits. The Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center will be San Japan’s permanent location, with conventions contracted to take place on Labor Day weekend and commitments to remain on that weekend through 2030. San Japan continues to be one the largest fan-run conventions in the South Texas region bringing out nearly 30,000 unique attendees to downtown San Antonio as of 2025.

Past Conventions

San Japan 15 – August 30th – September 1st, 2024 –  [Program Book – Online] Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center / San Antonio Grand Hyatt Hotel [Attendance: 28,033]

San Japan 14 – September 1st – September 3rd, 2023
 –  [Program Book – Online] Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center / San Antonio Grand Hyatt Hotel [Attendance: 24,027]

San Japan 13 – September 2nd – September 4th, 2022 –  Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center / San Antonio Grand Hyatt Hotel [Attendance: 21,149]

San Japan 12.5 – September 3rd – September 5th, 2021 –  Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center / San Antonio Grand Hyatt Hotel [Attendance: 12,833]

San Japan XII – August 30th – September 1st, 2019 –  Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center / San Antonio Grand Hyatt Hotel / Marriott Riverwalk Hotel [Attendance: 20,107]

San Japan X Nine Tails: Mini-Mini Con 2019 – May 4th, 2019 – Wonderland of Americas Mall [Attendance: 6000+]

San Japan XI – August 31st – September 2nd, 2018 – [Program Book – Online] – Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center / San Antonio Grand Hyatt Hotel / Marriott Riverwalk Hotel [Attendance: 18,540]

San Japan X Nine Tails: Mini-Mini Con 2018 – May 5th, 2018 – Wonderland of Americas Mall [Attendance 5000+]

San Japan X – September 1st-3rd, 2017 – [Program Book – Online] – Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center / San Antonio Grand Hyatt Hotel / Marriott Riverwalk Hotel [Attendance: 17,003]

San Japan X Nine Tails: Mini-Mini Con 2017 – May 6th, 2017 – Wonderland of Americas Mall [Attendance: 4000+]

San Japan 009 – September 2nd-4th, 2016 – [Program Book – Online | Pocket Guide – Online] – Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center / San Antonio Grand Hyatt Hotel / Marriott Riverwalk Hotel [Attendance: 16,342]

San Japan X Nine Tails: Mini-Mini Con 2016 – May 14th, 2016 – Wonderland of Americas Mall [Attendance: 2500+]

San Japan: 8-Bit – July 31st – August 2nd, 2015 – [Program Book – Online | Pocket Guide – Online] – Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center + San Antonio Grand Hyatt Hotel [Attendance: 18,411]

San Japan X Nine Tails: Mini-Mini Con 2015 – May 16th, 2015 – Wonderland of Americas Mall [Attendance: 1000+]

San Japan: Samurai 7 – July 18th-20th, 2014 – [Program Book – Online | Pocket Guide – Online] – Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center + San Antonio Grand Hyatt Hotel [Attendance: 14,686]

San Japan X Nine Tails: Mini-Mini Con 2014 – June 14th, 2014 – Wonderland of Americas Mall [Attendance: 400+]

San Japan: Sinister 6 – August 16th-18th, 2013 [Program Book – Online] – Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center + San Antonio Grand Hyatt Hotel [Attendance: 11,077]

San Japan: Mach 5 – August 10th-12th, 2012 [Program Book – Online] – Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center + San Antonio Grand Hyatt Hotel [Attendance: 9464]

San Japan 4TW – August 5th-7th, 2011 [Program Book – PDF] – Marriott Rivercenter Hotel [Attendance: 6891]

San Japan :3 – July 9th-11th, 2010 [Program Book – PDF] – Marriott Rivercenter Hotel [Attendance: 5043]

San Japan 2.x – August 14th-16th, 2009 – Municipal Auditorium + El Tropicano Hotel [Attendance: 4003]

Mizuumi-con – March 21st, 2009 [Sponsors] – Our Lady Of The Lake University [Attendance: 1416]

San Japan 1.5 – August 8th-10th, 2008 [Program Book – PDF] – Municipal Auditorium + El Tropicano Hotel [Attendance: 3523]

San Japan : Zero Day Anime – November 10th, 2007 [Program Book – PDF] – Our Lady Of The Lake University [Attendance: 815]