San Japan 2026 Press Application

NOTE: Influencer applications are no longer in the press application. They are a separate form.

Thank you for your interest in attending San Japan as a member of the visiting press corps. Our Community Relations team is eager to help facilitate your visit and ensure you have a great convention experience.

You or the organization you represent must meet the listed requirements to be issued credentials. These credentials will give you special seating at events and the opportunity to interact with other credential holders.

All requests will be verified by our team. Please include any analytics or information that could help us make a decision.

Thank you again, and we’ll see you at the Convention.

PRINT MEDIA:

• Must be a Local, Regional, or Nationally-Recognized print media outlet.
• A review must be posted within 7 days (newspaper) or 30 days (magazine) after the conclusion of the convention.
• Must have outlet-issued credentials to prove authenticity.

DIGITAL MEDIA:

• The website must be its own domain and own web host. We do not accept WordPress.com, Wix.com, Webs.com, or other similarly hosted subdomain pages as valid credentials.
• The website must show at least 3 updates per week for the past 6 months continuously.
• It must have a professional layout.
• It must show a visibly active community.
• All videos must properly credit San Japan and post in the title screen or credited to www.san-japan.org
• Write-up reviews must be posted within 10 days of the convention.
• You must link to at least two articles written in the past 2 months.
• Video reviews that are not news segments must be at least 5 minutes.

PODCASTS:

• It must have a listener subscriber count of at least 750.
• It must do a podcast prior to or during the convention with the topic being about San Japan for a majority of the podcast and a post-review podcast within 10 days of the convention.
• Podcasts must be at least 12 minutes in reviewing our convention covering multiple aspects of the convention.
• Podcasts that only cover a few sections of San Japan will not be considered an acceptable review.

PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS:

• The applicant must show proof of professional photographer credentials and a link to a portfolio. Previous example work at similar events is required.
• Portfolios must show a wide range of Convention photos. We will not approve Cosplay-Only Photographers. Photographers who lie on their applications will be ineligible for any future San Japan press passes.
• The photographer’s website should be family-friendly; we will not link to sites with erotica or sexualized photos.
• The applicant must be on-site for at least 6 hours per day on Friday & Saturday of the convention, preferably for all 3 days.
• The applicant will allow San Japan to reproduce all photos for future promotional material.
• The applicant must submit photos within 30 days of the convention, or provide a link to download the photos, preferably within 15 days.
• They must submit at least 300 photos of a variety of events throughout the convention.
• Photographer logos can be applied, but need to be less than 7.5% of the total photo.

WE WILL NO LONGER WILL ISSUE PRESS PASSES TO THE FOLLOWING:

• YouTube-only channels with fewer than 1000 subscribers. Vlog or CMV YouTube channels with fewer than 1,000 subscribers will not be considered. YouTube Channels must be a part of the YouTube Partner Program to qualify for a press badge at San Japan.
• Review websites or domains that direct to a Blogger, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Tumblr, Blogspot, or other sub-domain website. This includes domains that link to such sites.
• Personal review sites or personal blogs, including WordPress.com, TikTok, Blogger, or Facebook Pages.
• Press credentials outside of the Texas/South region aren’t nationally recognized.
• Podcasts with a low subscriber count of under 500.
• Cosplay-Only Photographers whose portfolios only show Cosplay Photoshoots.
• For Press Passes: Facebook Pages, Instagram, TikTok, and Flickr Accounts may not be used as credentials.
• Non-Professional/Non-Experienced Photographers who do not have verifiable credentials and/or professional portfolios.
• Prior approved press organizations that have not sent in requested media materials or have taken more than 2 months to send press materials at past San Japan conventions.
• Websites that publish shoddy pre-press and/or bare-minimum reviews.
• We will not approve photographers who charge for photoshoots at San Japan.
• College/High School Students fulfilling a requirement for a course/personal project; Journalism & Film Studies.