Tokyo DOOH Guide · 2026

DOOH Advertising in Tokyo

AdQuick aggregates Tokyo's 25,000+ digital screens -- Shibuya, Shinjuku, Ginza, Akihabara, HND and NRT airports, and the JR / Tokyo Metro -- into one plan-buy-measure platform. CPMs JPY 600 programmatic to JPY 4,500+ on Shibuya Crossing and Shinjuku 3D-LED spectaculars; from JPY 250,000 to seven-figure takeovers.

Programmatic open-exchange inventory accessible through LIVE BOARD, MCDecaux, VIOOH, AdQuick, and Vistar Media from test budgets of roughly ¥300,000–¥1,000,000 (USD $2,000–$7,000) — with LIVE BOARD VAC measurement, JARO compliance, and railway/airport approval covered in one place.

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60,000+ digital screens
11,500+ taxi in-cab screens
LIVE BOARD VAC measurement
USD settlement available
60K+
DOOH screens
11,500+
Taxi in-cab screens
¥400–¥8,000+
CPM range
¥300K
Programmatic minimum
Access all DOOH formats
Digital Billboards Transit & Airport Place-Based Programmatic

Digital Out-of-Home Advertising in Tokyo

60,000+ digital screens across Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway, JR East stations (Shinjuku, Shibuya, Tokyo, Ikebukuro), Haneda (HND) and Narita (NRT) airports, 11,500+ taxi in-cab screens (Tokyo's distinctive DOOH scale), iconic 3D anamorphic LEDs like Cross Shinjuku Vision and Omosan, and shopping corridors in Ginza, Harajuku, and Roppongi — with CPMs from ¥400 taxi to ¥8,000+ premium 3D landmark.

Overview

What Is DOOH Advertising in Tokyo?

Digital out of home (DOOH) is outdoor advertising delivered on digital screens — LED, LCD, and e-paper — rather than printed static posters. In Tokyo, DOOH spans the Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway networks (13 lines, 280+ stations), JR East's dense station estate (Shinjuku is the world's busiest rail station by throughput), Haneda International Airport (HND), Narita International Airport (NRT), the globally-recognised 3D anamorphic LEDs of Shinjuku and Omotesando, Shibuya Crossing's vertical and horizontal landmark spectaculars, shopping corridors in Ginza, Harajuku, Roppongi, and Akihabara, the 11,500+ taxi in-cab screens (Japan's most distinctive DOOH format), and office/elevator networks concentrated in Marunouchi, Otemachi, and Roppongi Hills. Tokyo is the largest DOOH market in Japan and among the top three in Asia-Pacific. Digital now accounts for an estimated 60%+ of total Tokyo OOH ad spend, with sharp double-digit growth driven by LIVE BOARD's expansion, the MCDecaux + VIOOH programmatic partnership (the first open programmatic DOOH in Japan), and the buildout of taxi networks. Inventory is transacted on impression-based CPM, Share of Voice (SOV), 枠 (waku / slot-based), or programmatic guaranteed (PG).

Landmark 3D LEDs

Shibuya Crossing spectaculars (Q Front, 109, Scramble), Cross Shinjuku Vision (Cross Space's 3D anamorphic), Omotesando Omosan (Vividcity), and Ginza/Roppongi premium LEDs — the iconic Tokyo brand-moment canvases.

Rail & Station

Tokyo Metro (9 lines), Toei Subway (4 lines), and JR East's Yamanote Line + commuter network — combined daily ridership exceeds 15M, with Shinjuku Station the world's busiest by throughput (~3.5M daily users).

Taxi In-Cab Network

11,500+ in-cab screens on IRIS (Tokyo Prime), GROWTH, and S.RIDE — the largest urban in-vehicle DOOH network in the world. Sound-on capable, 15–25 minute captive dwell, business-traveller skew.

Airport & Place-Based

HND and NRT airport digital, MCDecaux bus shelters and street furniture, Marunouchi/Otemachi/Roppongi Hills office lobbies, premium malls, cinemas (TOHO, United, Shochiku), and 7-Eleven/Lawson/FamilyMart convenience digital.

Tokyo is the most digitally-mature DOOH market in Asia — and the only one with a 11,500-screen taxi network.

Digital now leads Tokyo OOH spend, anchored by LIVE BOARD's NTT DOCOMO-powered VAC measurement and a uniquely Japanese taxi DOOH category.

60%+
Digital share of Tokyo OOH spend
11,500+
Taxi in-cab screens (largest globally)
15M+
Daily Metro + Toei + JR East riders
80M+
NTT DOCOMO subscribers powering VAC
Pricing Data

How Much Does DOOH Advertising Cost in Tokyo?

DOOH pricing in Tokyo depends on venue type, format, daypart, campaign duration, and buying model. Four pricing models are in active use.

Impression-based CPM

Increasingly dominant on LIVE BOARD, MCDecaux/VIOOH programmatic paths, and cross-border programmatic buys. Range: ¥400–¥8,000+ depending on venue.

Share of Voice

SOV / weekly package — dominant for Shibuya, Shinjuku, Omotesando, and Ginza landmark spectaculars and for station dominations.

枠 (Waku / Slot)

The traditional Japanese pricing model — buy a fixed slot in a loop for a fixed period (typically a week). Still the dominant direct-buy model across much of JR East, Metro Ad, and Tokyu Agency inventory.

Programmatic Guaranteed

Fixed impression count at a negotiated CPM, delivered via DSP against a reserved deal ID — guaranteed delivery for flagship campaigns.

Indicative Tokyo DOOH rates by format (2026)

Format Typical CPM (¥) Typical Minimum Buy Buying Model
Taxi in-cab digital (IRIS, Tokyo Prime, GROWTH) ¥400–¥900 ¥500,000/week Loop share / programmatic
Tokyo Metro / Toei platform D6 ¥500–¥1,200 ¥800,000/week Waku / programmatic
Tokyo Metro station digital dominations ¥1,000–¥2,500 blended ¥3,000,000/week Direct / PG
JR East station D6 & concourse digital ¥500–¥1,400 ¥800,000/week Waku / programmatic
JR East Shinjuku / Tokyo / Shibuya stations premium LEDs ¥1,500–¥3,500 ¥3,000,000/week Direct / PG
MCDecaux bus shelter digital (pDOOH via VIOOH) ¥600–¥1,500 ¥500,000/week Programmatic
LIVE BOARD network (cross-venue) ¥600–¥2,000 ¥300,000 test Impression-based / PG
Shibuya Crossing landmark LEDs (Q Front, 109, Scramble) Quoted by slot share ¥3,000,000–¥15,000,000/week SOV packages
Shinjuku Cross Shinjuku Vision (3D anamorphic) Quoted by slot share ¥4,000,000–¥20,000,000/week SOV packages
Omotesando Omosan (3D) Quoted by slot share ¥3,000,000–¥10,000,000/week SOV packages
Haneda (HND) airport digital ¥2,000–¥5,000 ¥3,000,000/week Direct / PG
Narita (NRT) airport digital ¥1,500–¥4,000 ¥2,500,000/week Direct / PG
Roppongi Hills / Marunouchi office lobby ¥800–¥2,000 ¥600,000/week Waku / programmatic
Programmatic open exchange (blended cross-border) ¥500–¥2,500 ~¥300,000 test Auction

Ranges reflect typical Tokyo in-charge rates for commercial campaigns; agency-negotiated rates and programmatic auction clearing prices can run below these floors. Cross-border DSP pricing typically settles in USD with automatic JPY conversion. For live quotes tied to actual availability, pull pricing through the AdQuick marketplace.

Venues & Corridors

Tokyo DOOH Format & Venue Breakdown

DOOH inventory in Tokyo is defined by venue environment, not creative format. Below — the venue categories that matter and who owns them.

Venue Category Primary Media Owners Typical CPM (¥) Best For
Taxi in-cab digital IRIS (Tokyo Prime), GROWTH, S.RIDE, JapanTaxi/Mobility Technologies ¥400–¥900 Business, 25–55 captive dwell, premium reach
Tokyo Metro & Toei Subway Tokyo Metro Advertising (Metro Ad), Toei Transportation ¥500–¥2,500 Urban commuter, 8M+ weekday rides
JR East stations (Shinjuku, Shibuya, Tokyo, Ikebukuro, Ueno, Shinagawa) JR East Marketing & Communications (jeki) ¥500–¥3,500 Mass commuter, inbound rail, cross-regional
MCDecaux bus shelter & street furniture (digital) MCDecaux (JCDecaux Japan JV) ¥600–¥1,500 Pedestrian, programmatic-first
LIVE BOARD network (cross-venue) LIVE BOARD Inc. (NTT DOCOMO × Dentsu JV) ¥600–¥2,000 Data-driven demographic targeting, VAC measurement
Landmark 3D anamorphic LEDs Vividcity (Omosan), Cross Space (Cross Shinjuku Vision), local concessionaires SOV packages Iconic brand moments, tourism
Shibuya Crossing spectaculars (Q Front, 109, Scramble, MAGNET) Hikarie / Tokyu Agency, local building operators SOV packages Tourism, Gen Z, global brand amplification
Haneda (HND) airport digital Haneda airport advertising concessionaires ¥2,000–¥5,000 International travellers, premium
Narita (NRT) airport digital JR East, Narita airport concessionaires ¥1,500–¥4,000 International inbound/outbound, luxury
Shopping districts (Ginza, Harajuku, Roppongi, Akihabara) Dentsu, Hakuhodo DY, building-specific operators ¥1,000–¥3,000 Luxury, youth, tech, tourism
Office / elevator networks (Marunouchi, Otemachi, Roppongi Hills) Mori Building digital, Mitsubishi Estate, Tokyu Agency, building ops ¥800–¥2,000 B2B, financial services, SaaS
Convenience store digital (7-Eleven, Lawson, FamilyMart) Retail media concessionaires ¥500–¥1,200 FMCG, shopper moment-of-purchase
Cinema digital TOHO Cinemas, United Cinemas, Shochiku ¥1,500–¥3,000 Entertainment, younger audiences

Signature Tokyo DOOH sites

Iconic Landmarks & Stations

Shibuya Crossing landmark LEDs: Q Front, Shibuya 109, Scramble, MAGNET by Shibuya109, and surrounding building spectaculars. The defining Tokyo DOOH tourism corridor with global brand amplification.
Shinjuku Cross Shinjuku Vision (3D anamorphic): the giant curved LED above the Shinjuku East Exit that made 3D anamorphic DOOH globally famous; Cross Space operates.
Omotesando Omosan (3D): Vividcity's 3D-capable landmark LED at Omotesando, central to viral creative campaigns (the Calico Cat moment).
Shinjuku Station: the world's busiest rail station by throughput (~3.5M daily users); dense JR East and Metro Ad digital presence.
Tokyo Station Marunouchi / Yaesu: JR East's flagship station; premium concourse LEDs and office-building adjacency.
Shibuya Scramble Square / Hikarie: modern LED-first building environments atop the Shibuya interchange.
HND Terminal 2/3 and NRT T1/T2: the two primary airports; HND skews domestic + short-haul international; NRT skews long-haul international.
Roppongi Hills, Marunouchi, Otemachi: office-concentrated CBD districts with the densest B2B elevator/lobby DOOH.

Taxi DOOH in Tokyo: Japan's distinctive scale

Tokyo's taxi DOOH network is the largest urban in-vehicle DOOH network in the world. Approximately 11,500+ taxi screens operate across the city's fleet — a scale no other city matches.

Tokyo Prime (IRIS): the largest network, integrated with JapanTaxi / Mobility Technologies dispatch; data-rich demographic targeting based on app-booking behaviour.
GROWTH: rival network with its own creative and targeting toolkit.
S.RIDE: Sony-backed rideshare/taxi with in-cab digital.

Audience profile: Tokyo taxi DOOH skews business traveller, 25–55, higher-income, highly captive dwell (average ride of 15–25 minutes). Creative runs on 4G/5G-connected tablets mounted behind the front-passenger headrest, with sound-on capability (volume-controlled) — the rare Tokyo DOOH format where audio is native. Taxi CPMs typically run ¥400–¥900 (JPY) on a blended programmatic/direct basis. Minimums start around ¥500,000/week for direct guaranteed or ~¥300,000 for programmatic test buys. Tokyo plans should explicitly evaluate taxi as a reach channel against Metro, JR, or landmark LED — not treat it as a niche supplementary buy.

Tokyo Metro, Toei Subway & JR East digital formats

Three rail networks define Tokyo station-based DOOH: Tokyo Metro (9 lines), Toei Subway (4 lines), and JR East (Yamanote Line plus Chuo, Saikyo, Keihin-Tohoku, Sobu, etc.). Combined daily ridership exceeds 15 million.

Transit Format Dimensions / Resolution Typical Location Slot
Platform Digital 6-sheet (D6) 1080×1920 portrait Platform walls, concourses 10–15 sec in 60-sec loop
Digital lightbox / pillar Various Station pillars, passageways 10 sec
Tunnel LED (synchronous train-window sequence) Custom Train-facing tunnel arrays (e.g., Ginza Line) 15–20 sec storytelling
In-train LCD (Toei/Metro/JR) 1920×1080 Carriage interiors 10–15 sec loop
Station Digital Domination Multiple synchronised screens Flagship stations (Shinjuku, Shibuya, Tokyo, Ikebukuro) Customised
Shinjuku / Tokyo / Shibuya premium station LEDs Custom Concourse and exit LED walls Varies

Creative approval: Tokyo Metro / Metro Ad reviews creative against Tokyo Metro advertising policies (allow 7–10 business days). Toei Transportation runs a separate clearance process with similar restrictions. JR East / jeki reviews under JR East policies (10–15 business days for premium station inventory). LIVE BOARD VAC audience: reach and frequency on LIVE BOARD-enabled inventory (covering a growing share of Tokyo Metro, MCDecaux, and cross-venue supply) is reported through VAC (Visibility Adjusted Contacts) — the Japanese equivalent of Route's VAC in the UK. Non-LIVE-BOARD inventory is typically reported on VRDigital impression counts or operator-reported traffic-based estimates.

Programmatic

Programmatic DOOH (pDOOH) in Tokyo: How to Activate

Japan's programmatic DOOH market has matured rapidly since the launch of the VIOOH × MCDecaux partnership (the first open programmatic DOOH offer in Japan) and the expansion of LIVE BOARD (the NTT DOCOMO / Dentsu JV that is now the country's largest data-driven DOOH network). Tokyo is the largest pool of pDOOH-enabled inventory in Japan.

A DSP sends bids into an SSP representing one or more media owners. When a play opportunity opens on a screen, the SSP runs an auction (or fulfils a reserved deal) and returns the winning creative to the ad server. Screen-level identifiers, venue taxonomy, and dayparting determine which auctions your campaign participates in. Cross-border campaigns can settle in USD via a DSP's Japan-compliant billing path; domestic JPY buys transact through Japanese agencies or direct DSP/SSP accounts.

Major DSPs actively buying Tokyo DOOH inventory

AdQuick

DSP and marketplace — transacts programmatically across every major SSP (Vistar, Hivestack, Place Exchange, Broadsign Reach, VIOOH, LIVE BOARD) and aggregates direct inventory from every major Tokyo media owner (LIVE BOARD, MCDecaux, jeki/JR East, Metro Ad, Tokyu Agency, IRIS, Vividcity) in a single unified plan, with native LIVE BOARD VAC planning, creative delivery, and attribution.

LIVE BOARD

Japan's largest data-driven DOOH network; operates as its own DSP/SSP; impression-based with DOCOMO-powered demographic targeting and native VAC measurement.

Vistar Media

Largest pDOOH DSP globally; strong APAC and Japan coverage; self-serve and managed service.

VIOOH

JCDecaux-backed SSP with DSP functionality; partnered with MCDecaux for the first open programmatic DOOH in Japan; primary path into MCDecaux bus shelter and street furniture.

Broadsign Ads

Integrated with Broadsign Reach SSP and Broadsign's CMS footprint across APAC media owners.

The Trade Desk (OpenPath DOOH)

DOOH as a channel within TTD's omnichannel buying; growing Japan access via Place Exchange line items.

Yahoo DSP

Omnichannel DSP with DOOH module; Tokyo supply via SSP integrations; strong native Yahoo Japan reach for cross-channel synchrony.

StackAdapt DOOH

Omnichannel DSP with DOOH module; Japan supply via SSP integrations.

Major SSPs & programmatic supply paths in Tokyo

LIVE BOARD SSP

Japan's largest data-driven DOOH supply platform; covers Tokyo Metro, Haneda, large-format, and cross-venue inventory; impression-based with VAC measurement.

VIOOH SSP

JCDecaux's SSP — primary programmatic path into MCDecaux bus shelter and street furniture, plus the broader VIOOH-connected Tokyo media-owner base.

Hivestack SSP

Strong APAC footprint; supply-side path to Tokyo inventory across multiple media owners; accessible via deal IDs from cross-border DSPs.

Place Exchange

Integrated into The Trade Desk, Yahoo DSP, and other omnichannel DSPs for DOOH line items in Japan.

Broadsign Reach

SSP integrated with Broadsign's CMS footprint across APAC media owners; programmatic path into Broadsign-CMS-managed Tokyo inventory.

Vistar SSP

Vistar's supply-side platform; programmatic gateway to Tokyo inventory across multiple operators with cross-border billing support.

Media owner programmatic paths

LIVE BOARD: accessible via AdQuick, direct LIVE BOARD self-serve, and select DSPs. Covers Tokyo Metro, Haneda, large-format, and cross-venue supply. Impression-based, VAC-measured.
MCDecaux: accessible via AdQuick, VIOOH (primary), Vistar, and Hivestack for bus shelter and street furniture; the first open programmatic DOOH path in Japan.
jeki / JR East: accessible via AdQuick and select programmatic PMP paths for station concourse and platform inventory; premium Shinjuku/Tokyo/Shibuya LEDs remain primarily direct.
Tokyo Metro (Metro Ad): accessible via AdQuick, LIVE BOARD, and select PMP deals for supplemental programmatic access.
IRIS / Tokyo Prime taxi: accessible via AdQuick, Vistar, Hivestack, and direct for the 11,500+ screen taxi network.
Vividcity (Omosan) and landmark concessionaires: typically direct buy; programmatic takeovers are bespoke PG deals.

Targeting capabilities for Tokyo pDOOH

Venue targeting — buy only taxi, metro, station, airport, bus shelter, office, or landmark using IAB OOH venue taxonomy.
Geofence / ward / station radius — fence to the central 23 wards, specific wards (Shibuya, Shinjuku, Minato, Chiyoda, Chuo), or a radius around a POI.
Daypart — commute windows (~7–9 AM, 5–8 PM), lunch peaks, weekend shopping, nightlife.
Contextual triggers — weather (rain, typhoon, sakura bloom index, temperature), JR/Metro service status, flight delays at HND/NRT, Japanese sports (NPB baseball, J.League football, sumo tournaments), 楽天 / Amazon Japan / Mercari retail cycles.
Mobile audience extension — LIVE BOARD + NTT DOCOMO demographic and location segments; LINE, Yahoo Japan, and Rakuten-based retargeting (where consented); ProfilePassport.
Dynamic creative optimisation (DCO) — creative variations by location, weather, time, or audience segment; Japanese-language creative is expected and often augmented with English for international audiences at HND/NRT and Shibuya.

Programmatic deal types

Deal Type Mechanics Best For
Open exchange Auction-based, lowest CPM, broad supply access Test budgets and broad reach campaigns; growing but still a minority of Japanese DOOH
Private marketplace (PMP) Invite-only deal with preferred floor and premium inventory The most common programmatic path in Japan; brand-safe premium inventory
Programmatic Guaranteed (PG) Fixed impression count, fixed CPM, reserved inventory Flagship guaranteed delivery; 3D anamorphic and landmark takeovers
Measurement

Measuring DOOH in Tokyo: LIVE BOARD VAC, Lift & Attribution

Japanese DOOH measurement has consolidated rapidly around LIVE BOARD's impression-based VAC standard for programmatic inventory, with traditional direct-buy inventory still largely measured on operator-reported passage and traffic models.

1. LIVE BOARD VAC — the emerging Japanese audience standard

LIVE BOARD Inc. — the NTT DOCOMO × Dentsu JV — operates a data-driven DOOH platform that reports Visibility Adjusted Contacts (VAC) using NTT DOCOMO mobile location data (~80+ million subscribers), census data, and venue-level impression modelling. VAC is the Japanese equivalent of Route's VAC in the UK, and LIVE BOARD is positioning it as the national impression standard for programmatic DOOH across Tokyo, Osaka, and other major metros.

2. Verification & attribution partners

LIVE BOARD + NTT DOCOMO — first-party audience verification, VAC impressions, DOCOMO-powered demographics.
Adelaide AU — attention measurement, AU scores for creative and placement quality.
VRDigital — traditional operator impression reporting for non-LIVE-BOARD inventory.
ProfilePassport / Nielsen Japan — mobile-based location verification and foot-traffic attribution.
Kantar Japan / Nielsen Japan — brand lift studies (awareness, consideration, intent).
Branded search lift — incremental Yahoo Japan / Google Japan branded search volume.
LINE / Rakuten / Yahoo Japan conversion lift — mini-app engagement, coupon redemption, e-commerce lift (consent-based).

3. Core Tokyo DOOH KPIs

Impressions (VAC), reach, frequency, Share of Voice (SOV), CPM, CPV, store visits, branded search lift on Yahoo Japan and Google, LINE account adds, Rakuten/Amazon Japan traffic lift, and conversion lift where first-party data is available.

Digital share of Tokyo OOH spend60%+
NTT DOCOMO subscribers (VAC base)80M+
Daily Metro + Toei + JR East riders15M+
Shinjuku Station daily users3.5M
Taxi in-cab DOOH screens11,500+
Metro / Toei lines (combined)13
Programmatic test minimum¥300K
Creative Specs

Tokyo DOOH Creative Specs & Best Practices

Standard specs by venue, best-practice rules, and the JARO / railway / airport / building approval workflows that gate Japanese DOOH creative.

Standard creative specs

Format Resolution Aspect Duration File
Taxi in-cab tablet 1920×1080 or 2048×1536 16:9 or 4:3 10–15 sec MP4 (H.264)
Metro / station D6 portrait 1080×1920 9:16 10–15 sec MP4, JPG, PNG
Metro / station landscape 1920×1080 16:9 10–15 sec MP4, JPG, PNG
MCDecaux bus shelter digital 1080×1920 9:16 10 sec MP4, JPG, PNG
Office lobby / elevator LCD 1080×1920 or 1920×1080 varies 15 sec standard MP4
Shibuya / Shinjuku landmark LED Custom (building-specific) Varies Varies Owner-specified
3D anamorphic (Omosan, Cross Shinjuku Vision) Custom (3D workflow) Curved / bespoke Typically 15 sec MP4 + 3D-aware brief

Best Practices

Motion is widely supported across Tokyo taxi, metro, station, bus shelter, and landmark DOOH.
Audio — uniquely supported on taxi in-cab screens (sound-on by default with volume control); generally not supported on other venues.
Japanese-language creative — expected for domestic audiences; bilingual Japanese/English is standard for HND, NRT, Shibuya Crossing, and landmark screens targeting international travellers.
Text sizing — Japanese kanji and kana should be ≥ 1/8 of the shortest screen dimension; English text ≥ 1/10.
Safe zones — 5–10% margin from each edge; taxi screens also need consideration of driver head shadow and in-cab framing.
Creative duration — 15 seconds is the Japanese standard (vs. 10 seconds in many Western markets).
3D anamorphic creative (Omosan, Cross Shinjuku Vision) — requires a bespoke 3D brief from the screen operator; rendered for the exact screen curvature and viewing angle. Allow 4–6 weeks of production and 2–3 weeks of approval.
Dynamic triggers — supported via DCO through LIVE BOARD, MCDecaux/VIOOH, and AdQuick; popular with weather, typhoon, sakura bloom, sports scores, and e-commerce cycles.
File weight — 10–25 MB per asset; H.264 is the dominant codec.

Approval Bodies

Tokyo Metro Advertising (Metro Ad) — 7–10 business days.
Toei Transportation — 7–10 business days.
jeki / JR East — 10–15 business days for premium station inventory.
Haneda (HND) airport concessionaires — 10 business days.
Narita (NRT) airport concessionaires — 10 business days.
Building-specific landmark operators (Vividcity, Cross Space, Shibuya-area ops) — bespoke process, typically 2–3 weeks for 3D creative.

JARO & Japanese Advertising Compliance

All Japanese advertising, including DOOH, is subject to review by JARO (Japan Advertising Review Organization) against the Act against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representations, the Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Act (PMDA), and industry self-regulatory codes. Categories with extra scrutiny in Tokyo:

Pharmaceutical, medical devices, health food (特保 / 機能性表示食品) — heavily restricted; require Consumer Affairs Agency or MHLW disclosures.
Financial services — FSA-regulated disclosures for investment, FX, crypto.
Crypto / Web3 — permitted but tightly scrutinised; warning language required.
Gambling — public gaming (keiba horseracing, keirin, boat racing) permitted; casino and private gambling banned.
Alcohol — permitted with conditions; banned on certain Metro and JR East surfaces; drinking-age (20+) advisories required.
Tobacco — banned on OOH including DOOH.
Superlative / unsupported claims — "No. 1", "best", and "lowest price" claims require documented substantiation.
Political content — elections law (公職選挙法) governs election-period political advertising; generally off-limits for commercial DOOH.
Vendor Landscape

Tokyo DOOH Vendor Landscape

Media owners, network operators, DSPs, and the unified marketplace approach for Tokyo DOOH.

Media Owners & Network Operators

LIVE BOARD

Japan's largest data-driven DOOH network — the NTT DOCOMO × Dentsu JV. Cross-venue supply spanning Tokyo Metro, Haneda, large-format, and place-based inventory. Operates as both DSP and SSP with native impression-based VAC measurement powered by NTT DOCOMO's 80M+ subscriber base.

Cross-Venue · DSP · SSP · VAC

MCDecaux (JCDecaux Japan)

Bus shelter and street furniture digital across Tokyo. Pioneered the first open programmatic DOOH path in Japan via partnership with VIOOH.

Street Furniture · Bus Shelter

jeki (JR East Marketing & Communications)

JR East stations including Shinjuku, Tokyo, Shibuya, Ikebukuro, Ueno, Shinagawa — the densest mass-commuter, inbound-rail, and cross-regional DOOH estate in Japan.

Rail · Station · Concourse

Tokyo Metro Advertising (Metro Ad)

Tokyo Metro's 9-line subway digital estate. Reviews and approves all metro creative under Tokyo Metro advertising policies.

Metro · 9 Lines

Toei Transportation

Toei Subway 4-line digital estate plus Toei bus exterior digital. Separate clearance process from Tokyo Metro.

Subway · Bus Exterior

IRIS (Tokyo Prime) / Mobility Technologies

11,500+ taxi in-cab screens — the largest urban in-vehicle DOOH network globally. Integrated with JapanTaxi/Mobility Technologies dispatch with data-rich app-booking-based demographic targeting.

Taxi · 11,500+ Screens

GROWTH / S.RIDE

Additional taxi in-cab digital networks. GROWTH operates with its own creative and targeting toolkit; S.RIDE is Sony-backed rideshare/taxi with in-cab digital.

Taxi · Rideshare

Vividcity

Operator of the Omotesando Omosan 3D landmark LED — central to viral creative campaigns including the Calico Cat moment that put Japanese 3D anamorphic DOOH on the global map.

3D Landmark · Omotesando

Cross Space

Operator of the Cross Shinjuku Vision 3D anamorphic LED above the Shinjuku East Exit — the giant curved LED that made 3D anamorphic DOOH globally famous.

3D Anamorphic · Shinjuku

Tokyu Agency

Shibuya-area building digital, landmark inventory, and agency-side media operations — a critical partner for Shibuya Crossing and surrounding-building campaigns.

Shibuya · Landmark · Agency

Dentsu, Hakuhodo DY Media Partners

Premium mall, event, and agency-controlled DOOH inventory across Tokyo. The dominant Japanese agency holding companies, both with deep direct relationships across Tokyo media owners.

Agency · Premium · Event

Mori Building / Mitsubishi Estate

Roppongi Hills, Marunouchi, and Otemachi office-building digital. The two largest property developers operating premium B2B elevator/lobby DOOH across central Tokyo's CBDs.

Office · Elevator · CBD

Haneda / Narita Airport Concessionaires

HND and NRT airport digital. HND Terminal 2/3 and NRT T1/T2 premium digital walls targeting international and domestic departures and arrivals.

Airport · Premium

DSPs Actively Buying Tokyo Inventory

AdQuick (DSP and marketplace, unifies programmatic + direct Japanese inventory), LIVE BOARD, Vistar Media, VIOOH, Broadsign Ads, StackAdapt DOOH, The Trade Desk (OpenPath DOOH), and Yahoo DSP.

AdQuick — The DSP and Marketplace for Tokyo DOOH

AdQuick is a DSP and marketplace that transacts programmatically across every major SSP (Vistar, Hivestack, Place Exchange, Broadsign Reach, VIOOH, LIVE BOARD) and aggregates direct media-owner inventory from LIVE BOARD, MCDecaux, jeki/JR East, Metro Ad, Toei Transportation, IRIS/Tokyo Prime, Vividcity, Cross Space, Tokyu Agency, and Haneda/Narita concessionaires into a single unified plan — with native mapping, creative delivery, LIVE BOARD VAC audience planning, mobile audience extension, and foot-traffic attribution. That means one platform to plan, buy, measure, and report across the full Tokyo DOOH landscape — rather than running parallel DSP seats and parallel owner RFPs, navigating bilingual paperwork, and managing cross-border billing in multiple currencies.

Districts & Audiences

Best DOOH Districts & Audiences in Tokyo

Where the audience concentrations are, what they look like, and the signature formats that reach them.

Shibuya (渋谷)

Tourism · Gen Z

Audience: Tourism, Gen Z, fashion, 18–34, entertainment, global brand moments.

Signature formats: Shibuya Crossing spectaculars, Q Front, 109, Scramble Square, 3D LEDs.

Shinjuku (新宿)

Mass Commuter

Audience: Mass commuter, 25–55, tourism, nightlife, business.

Signature formats: Cross Shinjuku Vision (3D), JR East Shinjuku station LEDs, Kabukicho spectaculars.

Omotesando / Harajuku

Luxury · Fashion

Audience: Luxury shoppers, 25–45, creative, Gen Z street fashion.

Signature formats: Omosan 3D, luxury mall digital, building-specific LEDs.

Ginza (銀座)

Luxury

Audience: Luxury shoppers, 35–65, premium tourism, high-income.

Signature formats: Ginza 4-chome spectaculars, premium mall digital.

Roppongi (六本木)

International

Audience: International business, nightlife, diplomatic, 30–55.

Signature formats: Roppongi Hills digital, Midtown, office-building lobby.

Marunouchi / Otemachi

Financial

Audience: Financial services, B2B, 30–55 professionals.

Signature formats: Office-building lobby, station concourse, JR Tokyo Station.

Akihabara (秋葉原)

Tech · Gaming

Audience: Gaming, anime, tech, 18–45.

Signature formats: Electronics-district digital, building-specific LEDs.

Ikebukuro (池袋)

Commuter

Audience: Commuter, Gen Z/young millennial, shopping, anime.

Signature formats: JR Ikebukuro station, Sunshine City mall digital.

Shinagawa (品川)

Business

Audience: Business commuter, inbound Shinkansen + HND transfer.

Signature formats: JR Shinagawa station, nearby office-building lobby.

Tokyo Station / Nihombashi

Inbound

Audience: Inbound Shinkansen, business, tourism.

Signature formats: JR Tokyo Station LEDs, Marunouchi-adjacent.

HND Haneda Airport

Premium Air

Audience: Premium business + short-haul international.

Signature formats: Terminal 2/3 digital walls, premium lounges.

NRT Narita Airport

Long-Haul

Audience: Long-haul international inbound/outbound, luxury.

Signature formats: T1/T2 digital walls, passport-control adjacency.

Odaiba (お台場)

Family · Events

Audience: Family, tourism, events.

Signature formats: Waterfront mall digital, event-site LEDs.

Kichijoji / Nakano

Creative

Audience: Young professionals, creative, JR Chuo commuter.

Signature formats: Station digital, local shopping-street LEDs.

Compliance

Regulatory & Privacy Considerations for Tokyo DOOH

JARO oversight, railway/airport approvals, category bans, and the APPI / Tokyo Metropolitan Ordinance regime.

JARO Review & Consumer Affairs Agency Oversight

Governs all Japanese advertising; violations of the Act against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representations carry administrative orders and public notices.

Railway and Airport Creative Approval

Metro Ad — 7–10 business days.
jeki / JR East — 10–15 business days for premium station inventory.
Haneda and Narita concessionaires — 10 business days.
Toei — 7–10 business days.

PMDA Act

Restricts pharmaceutical, medical device, and health food/cosmetic claims; superlatives and unsubstantiated effects banned.

Category Restrictions

Public vs private gambling: horseracing/keirin/boat racing permitted; casino and private gambling banned on OOH.
Alcohol: permitted with 20+ advisories; restrictions on Metro and some JR surfaces; Suntory/Asahi/Kirin codes apply.
Tobacco: banned across all Japanese OOH.
Crypto / FX / investment: FSA risk disclosures required; some categories require TSE/licensed-broker disclosures.

Personal Information Protection Act (APPI)

DOOH screens themselves do not collect personal data; mobile audience extension tactics using device IDs fall under APPI — ensure your DSP and data vendor operate with explicit consent signals. LIVE BOARD uses NTT DOCOMO aggregate-anonymised location data with stated consent.

Municipal Sign Ordinances

Tokyo Metropolitan Ordinance on Outdoor Advertising (屋外広告物条例) and ward-level sign regulations restrict size, brightness, and placement of landmark digital; scenic zones (Akasaka Palace vicinity, certain Imperial-adjacent zones) have additional limits.

Bilingual / Multilingual Signage

Japanese (primary) with optional English / Chinese / Korean — increasingly standard at HND/NRT and landmark tourist zones.

How to Buy

How to Buy DOOH Advertising in Tokyo

Three viable buying paths, depending on budget, scale, cross-border complexity, and comfort with Japanese media operations.

01

Direct with a Japanese media owner or agency

Contact LIVE BOARD, MCDecaux, jeki/JR East, Metro Ad, Toei Transportation, IRIS/Tokyo Prime, Vividcity, Cross Space, Tokyu Agency, or a Japanese agency (Dentsu, Hakuhodo DY Media Partners) directly. Best for flagship, landmark, and large-budget direct buys (Shibuya Crossing takeovers, Cross Shinjuku Vision or Omosan 3D campaigns, HND premium digital, full-station dominations). Downsides: parallel RFPs in Japanese, JPY invoicing and typically a Japanese billing entity, creative-approval paperwork in Japanese, and slow plan stitching across owners — particularly challenging for international brands without a Japanese entity or agency of record.

02

Programmatic via a DSP

Activate through any of the DSPs buying Tokyo inventory: AdQuick, LIVE BOARD, Vistar Media, VIOOH (for MCDecaux), Broadsign Ads, StackAdapt DOOH, The Trade Desk (OpenPath DOOH), or Yahoo DSP. Best for impression-based, flexible, and data-targeted campaigns from roughly ¥300,000 (USD $2,000) test budgets upward. Cross-border advertisers can typically settle in USD with automatic JPY conversion. Downsides if picking a single non-unified DSP: some DSPs have limited LIVE BOARD, jeki, or taxi access, so you won't see every Tokyo SSP's supply from one seat.

03

Through AdQuick — the unified DSP + marketplace approach

AdQuick is a DSP and marketplace — it transacts programmatically across every major SSP (Vistar, Hivestack, Place Exchange, Broadsign Reach, VIOOH, LIVE BOARD) and aggregates direct inventory from every major Tokyo media owner (LIVE BOARD, MCDecaux, jeki/JR East, Metro Ad, Toei Transportation, IRIS/Tokyo Prime, Vividcity, Cross Space, Tokyu Agency, Haneda and Narita concessionaires) in a single unified plan, with LIVE BOARD VAC audience data, creative delivery, bilingual creative approval workflows, mobile audience extension, and foot-traffic attribution all native — plus USD settlement for cross-border advertisers. The fastest path for any international buyer entering Japan without a domestic entity, or any domestic buyer who wants full-market access without running parallel DSP seats and owner RFPs.

Budget Examples

Tokyo DOOH Budget Examples

Three reference budgets — from cross-border test to flagship landmark — calibrated to typical Tokyo media plans in 2026.

Tier 1: Test / Japan-Entry
¥500,000–¥2,000,000

USD $3,500–$14,000 — single DSP with cross-border billing, central-23-ward geofence, 2-week flight, 2 dayparts.

DSP: Single self-serve via AdQuick, Vistar, or LIVE BOARD with cross-border billing.
Geofence: Central 23 wards covering Shibuya + Shinjuku + Minato.
Inventory: Tokyo Metro platform D6 + IRIS/Tokyo Prime taxi + MCDecaux bus shelter.
Flight & daypart: 2-week flight, AM + PM commute dayparts.
Reporting: LIVE BOARD VAC impression reporting.
Attribution: Mobile lift pixel for directional attribution.
Creative: Bilingual JP/EN creative.
Tier 2: Mid-Market Multi-Venue
¥10,000,000–¥40,000,000

USD $70,000–$280,000 — programmatic PMP plus direct PMPs, weather/typhoon/sakura DCO, mobile audience extension, foot-traffic study, 4-week flight.

Programmatic PMP: across Tokyo Metro, LIVE BOARD, MCDecaux/VIOOH, IRIS taxi.
Direct PMPs: with jeki/JR East (Shinjuku/Tokyo/Shibuya concourse).
DCO: Weather/typhoon/sakura-triggered (3–5 creative variants).
Audience extension: LIVE BOARD + NTT DOCOMO demographic segments.
Measurement: Foot-traffic lift study (ProfilePassport / Nielsen Japan).
Flight: 4-week flight.
Compliance: JARO pre-clearance for any regulated categories.
Tier 3: Flagship Landmark / Global Brand
¥150,000,000+/quarter

USD $1,000,000+/quarter — direct SOV on Shibuya + Cross Shinjuku Vision + Omosan + Ginza, HND/NRT premium, Yamanote or Ginza Line domination, rolling Tier-1-cities PMP.

Landmark SOV: Direct SOV on Shibuya Crossing + Cross Shinjuku Vision + Omotesando Omosan + Ginza 4-chome.
Airport: HND premium digital takeover + NRT inbound gates.
Rail domination: Tokyo Metro Ginza Line or JR Yamanote Line full domination.
Programmatic PMP: Rolling across Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka, Sapporo.
3D production: Anamorphic creative for Omosan or Cross Shinjuku Vision.
Brand lift: Kantar Japan or Nielsen Japan study.
Creative: Bilingual (JP/EN) with dynamic language switching via DCO at international hubs.
Dashboard: Dedicated bilingual attribution dashboard.
FAQ

Tokyo DOOH — Frequently Asked Questions

Pricing, screen counts, programmatic, measurement, creative specs, and the event-anchored playbook for cherry blossom season, Golden Week, and the Tokyo Marathon.

DOOH advertising in Tokyo is outdoor advertising shown on digital screens across the city — Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway platforms, JR East stations (Shinjuku, Shibuya, Tokyo, Ikebukuro), Haneda (HND) and Narita (NRT) airports, 11,500+ in-cab taxi screens on IRIS/Tokyo Prime and GROWTH networks, iconic 3D anamorphic LEDs like Shinjuku's Cross Shinjuku Vision and Omotesando's Omosan, Shibuya Crossing landmark spectaculars, and office/elevator networks in Marunouchi, Otemachi, and Roppongi Hills. Greater Tokyo has an estimated 60,000+ digital OOH screens operated by LIVE BOARD, MCDecaux, jeki/JR East, Metro Ad, IRIS, Vividcity, and Cross Space. Most premium inventory is bookable programmatically through DSPs including AdQuick, LIVE BOARD, Vistar Media, VIOOH, and StackAdapt.
Tokyo DOOH CPMs typically range from ¥400–¥900 for taxi in-cab screens and ¥500–¥1,400 for Metro and JR platform D6s, to ¥2,000–¥5,000 for Haneda airport premium and several million yen per week as a share-of-voice package on Shibuya Crossing, Cross Shinjuku Vision, or Omosan 3D landmark LEDs. Programmatic open-exchange inventory is accessible from around ¥500–¥2,500 CPM. Self-serve test campaigns start at roughly ¥500,000–¥2,000,000 (USD $3,500–$14,000), mid-market multi-venue flights run ¥10–40M (USD $70K–$280K), and flagship landmark buys start at ¥150M+/quarter. Pricing varies by venue, daypart, buying model (CPM, SOV, 枠/waku, or PG), and campaign duration.
Greater Tokyo has an estimated 60,000+ digital out of home screens across Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway, JR East stations, Haneda (HND) and Narita (NRT) airports, premium landmark LEDs, MCDecaux bus shelters and street furniture, shopping district digital, office/elevator networks, and convenience-store digital. The taxi category alone accounts for 11,500+ in-cab screens — the largest urban in-vehicle DOOH network in the world. LIVE BOARD operates Japan's largest data-driven network; MCDecaux runs the programmatic-first bus shelter estate; jeki controls JR East stations; Metro Ad runs Tokyo Metro; IRIS/Tokyo Prime dominates taxi; Vividcity and Cross Space operate the iconic 3D anamorphic landmark LEDs.
Programmatic DOOH in Tokyo is the automated, impression-based buying of digital outdoor advertising through a DSP such as AdQuick, LIVE BOARD, Vistar Media, VIOOH (for MCDecaux supply), or StackAdapt. The VIOOH + MCDecaux partnership launched the first open programmatic DOOH offer in Japan, and LIVE BOARD (the NTT DOCOMO + Dentsu JV) operates Japan's largest data-driven impression-based network with VAC measurement. Major Tokyo media owners — LIVE BOARD, MCDecaux, jeki/JR East, Metro Ad, IRIS/Tokyo Prime — have enabled programmatic paths via SSPs including VIOOH, LIVE BOARD, Hivestack SSP, and Broadsign Reach. Buyers can target by venue, ward, daypart, and contextual triggers (weather, typhoon, sports, e-commerce cycles) with cross-border minimums as low as ¥300,000 (USD $2,000).
Traditional OOH in Tokyo is printed, paper-and-paste advertising posted for set periods (typically one week on the Japanese 枠/waku slot model) on a flat rate. DOOH is delivered on digital screens and priced on impressions (CPM / VAC), share of voice (SOV), 枠 (waku slot-based), or programmatic guaranteed (PG), with creative that can change by daypart, weather, typhoon, sakura bloom, JR/Metro service status, flight status, or e-commerce cycle. DOOH enables dynamic creative, real-time triggers, tighter geofencing, and LIVE BOARD VAC impression reporting — all without print production delays. In Tokyo specifically, digital now represents roughly 60%+ of total OOH spend, with the 11,500-screen taxi category and 3D anamorphic landmarks being the distinctively Tokyo DOOH formats that have no direct equivalent elsewhere.
Japanese DOOH measurement has consolidated around LIVE BOARD's Visibility Adjusted Contacts (VAC), which uses NTT DOCOMO mobile location data (80+ million subscribers), census data, and venue-level impression modelling to report impressions, reach, and frequency for programmatic inventory. Traditional direct-buy inventory is typically measured by VRDigital impression counts or operator-reported passage estimates. Attribution layers include mobile foot-traffic lift (ProfilePassport, Nielsen Japan), brand lift studies (Kantar Japan, Nielsen Japan), and branded search/conversion lift on Yahoo Japan, Google, LINE, and Rakuten/Amazon Japan. LIVE BOARD VAC is the Japanese equivalent of the UK's Route VAC and the US's Geopath.
Self-serve programmatic DOOH on cross-border platforms like AdQuick, Vistar Media, and LIVE BOARD can be activated with test budgets from around ¥300,000–¥1,000,000 (USD $2,000–$7,000) in Tokyo. Managed-service campaigns with a Japanese agency typically start at ¥5,000,000+ (USD $35,000+). Premium direct buys on Shibuya Crossing, Cross Shinjuku Vision, or Omosan 3D LEDs start at several million yen per week as share-of-voice packages, and Haneda/Narita airport premium takeovers typically start at ¥3,000,000+/week.
There are three buying paths. Path 1: direct with a Japanese media owner or agency (LIVE BOARD, MCDecaux, jeki/JR East, Metro Ad, Toei, IRIS/Tokyo Prime, Vividcity, Cross Space, Tokyu Agency, Dentsu, Hakuhodo) — best for flagship direct buys but typically requires Japanese capability and often a domestic agency of record. Path 2: programmatic via a DSP — AdQuick, LIVE BOARD, Vistar Media, VIOOH (for MCDecaux), Broadsign Ads, StackAdapt, The Trade Desk, or Yahoo DSP — best for impression-based, data-targeted campaigns from ~¥300,000. Path 3: through AdQuick, the unified DSP and marketplace approach that transacts across every major SSP and aggregates direct media-owner inventory into a single plan with LIVE BOARD VAC planning, bilingual creative workflows, USD settlement for cross-border advertisers, and attribution built in.
Most Tokyo DOOH uses standard specs: 1920×1080 (16:9 landscape) for large-format, in-train, and station landscape screens; 1080×1920 (9:16 portrait) for platform D6s, MCDecaux bus shelters, and office lobby screens; and 1920×1080 or 2048×1536 for taxi in-cab tablets. Typical creative duration is 15 seconds in a 60-second loop — longer than the 10-second Western standard. MP4 (H.264) is the dominant codec. Audio is uniquely supported on taxi in-cab screens but rarely elsewhere. Japanese-language creative is expected for domestic audiences; bilingual Japanese/English is standard for HND, NRT, and Shibuya. 3D anamorphic creative for Omosan or Cross Shinjuku Vision requires a bespoke production brief and 4–6 weeks of lead time.
Event-anchored Tokyo DOOH strategies pair flagship direct buys with programmatic PMP windows triggered by event context. For cherry blossom (桜) season (late March–early April), that's Shibuya + Omotesando + Ueno + Meguro-gawa-adjacent digital with sakura-bloom-index-triggered DCO. For Golden Week (late April–early May), Haneda + Narita inbound digital + central-23-ward landmark + domestic travel retail. For the Tokyo Marathon (March), course-adjacent LEDs + finish-line Tokyo Station + Shinjuku Cross Shinjuku Vision + sports-score-triggered DCO. For year-end seasonal (Christmas illuminations, Oshogatsu), Roppongi Hills + Marunouchi + Ginza + Shibuya landmark takeovers. Build in 6–8 weeks of lead time and plan for JR East, Metro Ad, and JARO clearance.

Start Your Tokyo DOOH Campaign

AdQuick is the DOOH DSP and marketplace that unifies programmatic buying across every major SSP (Vistar, Hivestack, Place Exchange, Broadsign Reach, VIOOH, LIVE BOARD) with direct media-owner inventory across Tokyo — including LIVE BOARD's data-driven cross-venue network, MCDecaux's programmatic bus shelter and street furniture estate, jeki's JR East stations (Shinjuku, Shibuya, Tokyo, Ikebukuro), Tokyo Metro Advertising and Toei Transportation's subway digital, IRIS/Tokyo Prime's 11,500-screen taxi network, Vividcity's Omosan 3D anamorphic LED, Cross Space's Cross Shinjuku Vision, Tokyu Agency's Shibuya-area landmark inventory, and Haneda/Narita airport digital.

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