🚀 The Big Mistake I Made at ZINE FEST

Last Saturday, I participated in a Zine Fest in Kichijoji, Tokyo, alongside my photographer friend YOUNG HAMA. The event ran from 12–5 PM, and I was really happy to see so many friends drop by.

But this time, we made a big mistake.

Looking back, I want to share what went wrong and highlight four key points to keep in mind when selling zines at an event.
If you’re thinking about showcasing your zine at a future event, I hope you find this useful.

Table of Contents

• 🥑 Have You Read My Blog Yet?

• 🚨 The Mistake We Made at ZINE FEST

  • 🛍 How to Attract More Visitors to Your Zine Fest …

  • 1. A Cover That Grabs Attention at First Glance

  • 2. A Display That Allows for Quick, One-Handed Bro …

  • 3. A Booth That Clearly Shows What Kind of Zine Yo …

  • 4. Offer Multiple Payment Options

• 💥 Rematch at ZINE FEST in Asakusa on April 5th!

🥑 Have You Read My Blog Yet?

Last week on my blog, I shared my film photos of the Milky Way and Fukushima, where the nuclear plant meltdown occurred.
Some of them had what looked like light leaks, so I asked for opinions on Threads. Some people suggested it might be due to radiation exposure, while others thought it was just a developing mistake.

Regarding development errors, some pointed out that it could have been caused by over-agitation. Since I don’t often shoot ISO 3200 film, I’m planning to develop my next roll under similar conditions with fewer agitations to see if there’s any difference.

If you haven’t read my blog post yet, take a quick peek!

🚨 The Mistake We Made at ZINE FEST

ZINE FEST, organized by ZINE FARM TOKYO, is an event we regularly participate in, and this time, it was held on the rooftop of PARCO, a fashion building in Kichijoji.
Since there were no tables at the venue, YOUNG HAMA and I decided to try something new for our display.

Instead of laying out zines on a table, we hung them on a clothing rack with hangers—almost like a pop-up shop for zines. When I shared this setup on Instagram Stories, I got a few messages saying, “That’s such a cool idea!”

But when it came to actually selling zines, things didn’t go as planned.

While friends stopped by, took zines off the hangers, and flipped through them, strangers didn’t engage as much. People would comment, “That’s a cool display,” but they rarely picked up the zines.

The issue?

• Hanging zines made it harder to see the covers.

• Flipping through required an extra step of unhooking the zine, which discouraged browsing.

This small barrier—having to remove a zine from a hanger—was enough to make people hesitate. And at a zine fest, where people casually browse hundreds of zines, ease of access matters.

🛍 How to Attract More Visitors to Your Zine Fest Booth

Using a hanger rack for display seemed like a cool idea, but when it came to actually selling zines, it turned out to be a mistake. Reflecting on past Zine Fests, I started thinking about what made certain events more successful than others.

1. A Cover That Grabs Attention at First Glance

At a busy zine fest, the first challenge is getting people to stop at your booth. Your zine needs to be visually appealing because visitors are on the hunt for indie publications they can't find anywhere else.

That’s why cover design is crucial. At the previous zine fest, I sold "Stolen Walls of Tokyo" – A zine capturing the raw, ever-changing landscape of Tokyo’s sticker bombing scene.
It was a hit. Many people stopped, picked it up, and after saying, "This looks really interesting!" they went ahead and bought it. (By the way, this zine is still available on FED’s site.)

But this time, with the hanger rack setup, the covers were partially hidden. Hardly anyone picked them up.

2. A Display That Allows for Quick, One-Handed Browsing

If someone finds your zine intriguing, their next instinct is to flip through it. But not everyone has both hands free—some are carrying bags, holding their phone, or already juggling other zines.

That’s why having a display that allows for quick, effortless browsing is key. If a visitor has to use both hands to remove a zine from a hanger, detach the hanger, and then flip through it, they’ll likely just move on. Too much hassle.

3. A Booth That Clearly Shows What Kind of Zine You’re Selling

Some visitors are only interested in illustration zines, others want literary zines, and then there are those specifically looking for photo zines.

To attract the right audience, your booth needs to communicate at a glance what type of zines you’re selling. Sure, you can verbally explain, but a visual cue works best.

A great trick? Display framed photo prints. If you’re selling a photo zine, having a few large prints immediately signals that your work is photography-focused.

I used to always bring related prints to display, but this time, I didn’t—just because I didn’t feel like carrying extra stuff. That was a huge mistake. My laziness cost me potential sales. What a fool.

4. Offer Multiple Payment Options

I've lost count of how many times I’ve been asked, "Is cash the only payment method?" at zine events.

Some visitors didn’t have cash on them, but because I had a credit card reader and tap-to-pay system, I could say, "No worries, you can pay by card!" Many responded with, "Oh, in that case, I’ll buy it."

I’ve even had multiple customers say, "If you take card payments, I’ll buy all your zines."

This time, I did accept non-cash payments, but since there was no table, I didn’t put up a sign indicating it.

Think about it—when you walk into a store, seeing your credit card logo displayed at the entrance reassures you, right? I failed to remove that psychological barrier for potential buyers.

💥 Rematch at ZINE FEST in Asakusa on April 5th!

I’ll be applying all these lessons and making sure my next Zine Fest booth is the best yet. Plus, I plan to release a brand-new zine before then—so stay tuned!

That’s it for this week’s edition.
Thanks so much for reading all the way through! If you found this helpful, feel free to share it using the social buttons below. You can also hit “like” or leave a comment; I’d love to hear your thoughts!

See you next week, and let’s keep that indie spirit alive!

My Milky Way photograph, "Grains of Starlight - Fukushima" (Limited Edition), is now available on the FED website. Experience the brilliance of the stars and the beauty of film grain for yourself.

Additionally, 10% of the proceeds from this print sale will be donated to Fukushima Prefecture to support children who lost their families in the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Thank you. Your support allows me to continue my photography journey.