Exhibiting at a Trade Show in Japan: Materials, Booth Etiquette and Follow-Up
To make a trade show in Japan worth the cost, prepare your Japanese materials well before the event and plan your follow-up as carefully as the booth itself. That means Japanese business cards, a short Japanese brochure or one-page summary, booth signage that says clearly what you do, staff who can greet visitors and exchange cards properly, and Japanese follow-up emails sent within a few days. Japanese buyers rarely decide at the booth. Deals happen in the meetings and calls afterwards, so that is where language support matters most. Here’s how to prepare.
Before the show: materials
| Item | Tips |
|---|---|
| Business cards | Japanese on one side, English on the other; bring far more than you think you need |
| Booth signage | One clear line in Japanese saying what you offer and for whom, readable from a distance |
| Brochure or one-pager | Japanese text, specifications, use cases, Japanese contact details |
| Price list or quote sheet | Clear terms, minimum orders, lead times and whether prices include tax |
| Website or landing page | A Japanese page visitors can check later, linked by QR code |
Japanese buyers often take materials back to discuss with colleagues, so your brochure has to explain your offer without you in the room. For tips on adapting copy, see our guide to marketing to Japanese customers.
At the booth
- Greet visitors with いらっしゃいませ or こんにちは, and a short line about what you do.
- Exchange business cards properly: with both hands, reading the card before putting it away. See our guide to Japanese business etiquette.
- Write notes on each contact after the conversation, not on their card in front of them.
- Don’t expect decisions. Visitors are gathering information to share internally.
Language support at the event
If no one on your team speaks Japanese, hire a local event interpreter or bilingual booth staff through the organiser or a staffing agency in Japan. Brief them on your products in advance and give them your materials. Hanabuddies can provide an interpreter at the show itself, in Japan or abroad (you cover travel expenses), as well as preparing your materials and phrases beforehand and interpreting the follow-up meetings in person or online.
After the show: follow-up
- Send thank-you emails in Japanese within a few days, mentioning what you discussed. Our Japanese business email guide shows the format.
- Send any requested information quickly and completely.
- Propose an online meeting to go into detail with the people who will decide.
- Be patient. Decisions involve several people and can take months. Regular, polite follow-up builds trust.
Follow-up meetings with an interpreter
The meetings after a trade show are where details, pricing and terms are discussed. A live interpreter, in person or over video, helps both sides understand each other fully. See our guides to meetings with Japanese partners and online interpreting for video calls with Japan.
How Hanabuddies can help
We translate business cards, brochures, signage and landing pages into Japanese, coach your team on greetings and card etiquette before the show, interpret at the show and write follow-up emails, and interpret your follow-up meetings in person or live over video. Tell us which show you’re exhibiting at, the date and what you need, and we’ll send a quote.