Virtual Market 2026 Summer & VketReal 2026 Summer Announced! A Festival Connecting the Metaverse and the Real World

HIKKY Inc. is pleased to announce the upcoming Virtual Market 2026 Summer, the 16th edition of one of the world’s largest metaverse events and a four-time Guinness World Records™ title holder, along with VketReal 2026 Summer, the fifth edition of the real-world XR event born from Virtual Market.

Virtual Market 2026 Summer will be held over 16 days from Saturday, July 11 to Sunday, July 26, 2026, while VketReal 2026 Summer will take place over two days on Saturday, July 25 and Sunday, July 26, 2026, at Bellesalle Akihabara (1F–2F).

With the announcement of both events, HIKKY is now inviting companies and organizations to participate as exhibitors.

Corporate Exhibitions to Be Held Across Two VR Venues [Akihabara] and [Broadway] with the Real-World Event at Bellesalle Akihabara (1F–2F)!

For Virtual Market 2026 Summer, two corporate exhibition VR venues themed after [Akihabara] and New York’s [Broadway] will be available, while VketReal 2026 Summer will take place across two floors (1F and 2F) at Bellesalle Akihabara!

^{VketReal 2025 Winter Digest Movie}

Offering a Unique, Immersive Promotional Experience that Seamlessly Connects the Virtual and Real Worlds

Virtual Market (a.k.a. Vket) has welcomed a cumulative total of more than 1.3 million visitors from around the world, delivering unparalleled immersive experiences that spark excitement and enthusiasm with every edition.

By centering on hands-on experiences, Virtual Market offers a new form of promotion that builds understanding and emotional connection, going beyond the limits of conventional advertising.

By offering fun, immersive experiences such as games and ride-based attractions featuring a company’s own products, as well as customer engagement led by avatar-based staff, brands can naturally increase awareness and favorability.

Another key characteristic is the high level of active participation, with many attendees voluntarily sharing their experiences on social media and taking part in surveys and feedback initiatives.

In addition, through collaboration with a wide range of virtual-native communities, Virtual Market has been chosen as a platform for a new form of [co-creation marketing], where participants and companies work together to generate shared value.

Honda Motorcycle Japan × VRC Moto Meeting Collaboration Video

People who develop an interest through Virtual Market are then drawn to the VketReal venue, where they can see, touch, and experience the brand firsthand, further deepening their understanding and engagement.

At the previous VketReal 2025 Winter, advance tickets sold out on both days, and large crowds attended on-site, generating a strong response that swept through the streets of Akihabara.

Experiences and connections formed at the real-world venue are brought back into the virtual space, where participants share stories and impressions with friends. This creates a ripple effect that extends outward, further energizing and expanding the Virtual Market ecosystem.

Through this continuous movement between the virtual and real worlds, the value of experiences and content steadily grows, a defining characteristic unique to Virtual Market and VketReal.

Companies and public-sector organizations interested in exhibiting at this event are invited to contact us from the link below.

Details regarding the start of general exhibitor applications and the concepts of each general exhibition venue will be announced in future updates.

Additional information will be released sequentially via Virtual Market - Global (@enVket) on X and Discord channel. Join the Virtual Market - Global Discord Server!

What is Virtual Market (a.k.a. Vket)?

Virtual Market is one of the world’s largest* events held in an online virtual space known as the metaverse. Participants attend as avatars, where they can buy and sell 3D items, clothing, and real-world products such as food and beverages, while also enjoying attractions, games, and live music performances. The event offers a deeply immersive experience—much like spending time with friends in a real city. During the event period, Virtual Market is open 24 hours a day and can be joined free of charge using VR devices or a PC.

Since its launch in 2018, Virtual Market has been held twice a year, every summer and winter, welcoming a cumulative total of over 1.3 million visitors per event from around the world. To date, it has earned four Guinness World Records™ titles and continues to grow as a flagship event that expands new forms of value through virtual culture and communication.

Virtual Market also provides a fertile environment where creators and users meet, connect, and grow communities together. By integrating exhibitions from companies, public-sector organizations, and brands, the event has become a platform where new fan communities and opportunities for co-creation continue to emerge.

^{*Recognized by Guinness World Records™ for the largest number of booths at a virtual reality market event.}

What Is VketReal?

VketReal is an experiential XR event that seamlessly blends the virtual and real worlds, born from Virtual Market (Vket), one of the world’s largest metaverse events.

Launched in 2023 with the aim of delivering excitement that transcends the boundaries between virtual and real spaces, VketReal is held twice a year in conjunction with Virtual Market. At the venue, visitors can easily enjoy XR content without the need for VR equipment or specialized knowledge, while VR users from remote locations can also participate as avatars through interactive XR attractions.

Guided by the vision of creating a world where people can “live as who they love to be,” VketReal collaborates widely with companies, public-sector organizations, platform providers, and local businesses. Through these partnerships, it promotes the creation of new shared spaces where communities can grow beyond the boundaries of industries and locations.

About HIKKY Inc.

HIKKY Inc. is an XR company that brings together culture and creativity born in virtual spaces with advanced technology to create engaging experiences and content that inspire excitement for people around the world.

Since 2018, HIKKY has led the planning and operation of Virtual Market (Vket), one of the world’s largest metaverse events, as well as VketReal, an experiential XR event held in real-world venues. Through these initiatives, the company continues to generate new value by connecting the virtual and real worlds in meaningful ways.

CEO: Yasushi Funakoshi

Headquarters: Mitomi Building 4F, 1-20-22 Ebisu, Shibuya, Tokyo 150-0013, Japan

Established: May 1, 2018