321, Inc. held “LIVER Matsuri 2026,” a two-day participatory festival for live streamers, on August 22–23 at Shinjuku Sumitomo Building’s Triangle Square in Tokyo. This year’s event expanded beyond 321-affiliated streamers to include participants from other agencies, drawing major attention as a cross-industry joint event.

DAY 1: Variety, Idol Performances, and Music

Day one kicked off with an opening by hosts Okura Shimon and Yukos. Musical performances by Napo, Masamin, and Shohe warmed up the venue, followed by intense competitions among streamers who had earned their spots through preliminary online events, including the Pococha battle finals and TikTok LIVE battle semifinals. Interactive segments called “321 Challenge”—featuring improvisational singing and gesture games—drew out a side of the streamers rarely seen on their regular broadcasts, sending the audience into a frenzy.

The latter half of Day 1 featured a performance stage by 321‘s idol project, with groups Glitter System and PALE TULLE taking the stage. The day closed with a grand finale that brought all performing streamers together onstage.

DAY 2: Industry Talk Show and Vocal Championship

Day two opened with a special talk show featuring Yukos, Nishino Akihiro, and Maeda Yuji discussing the current state and future of live streaming and the creator economy. The headline event—the Vocal Championship—saw 12 acts compete, judged by Akira Sunset and SHIROSE alongside a live audience vote. The title went to “Kaishain no Jun,” a streamer who balances a full-time office job with an active streaming career.

A fashion stage brought 15 streamers to the runway, while the Pococha battle final and TikTok LIVE battle final also took place, with the results of roughly a month of online streaming events all decided on the physical stage. The festival concluded with all performers uniting for a group cheer song, bringing the curtain down on the two-day celebration.

Full Archive Available on YouTube

The full stage performances from both days have been archived on YouTube. Both DAY 1 and DAY 2 are available for viewing, allowing fans who couldn’t attend in person to watch the entire event.

What’s Next

This year’s LIVER Matsuri marked the first time the event welcomed streamers from agencies outside 321, making it a pioneering cross-agency event in the industry. The official LIVER Matsuri website is expected to share information about future events, and the festival’s evolution into a platform that uplifts the entire streaming industry is generating significant anticipation.

Commentary and Outlook

A joint event that crosses agency boundaries is a groundbreaking step for live streaming festivals. By bringing together top streamers across platforms like Pococha and TikTok LIVE, it created a valuable opportunity for audiences to discover new favorites. With its diverse program spanning vocal competitions, idol stages, fashion runways, and industry talk shows, LIVER Matsuri 2026 powerfully demonstrated the potential of live streaming culture as a real-world event format.

Source: PR TIMES