Tokyo events for Monday, October 28 to Sunday, November 3, 2024.
Known as the royal flower in Japan, chrysanthemums and their festivals start to make an appearance this week. But if staring at beautiful flowers all day isn’t your thing, you can also stare at performing arts at Meiji Shrine, warriors in Hakone, fireworks in Narita, or loaves of bread in Setagaya (just us?).
Note that many of the events will carry on till the holiday on Monday, November 4 (Culture Day observed).
The Effect: A Play by Sheepdog Theatre
From November 7 to November 17, dive into a world where the boundaries of the heart and mind are tested. Lucy Prebble’s acclaimed play, The Effect, is set in the confines of a clinical trial for a new antidepressant, and two volunteers, Tristan and Connie, find themselves drawn to each other in unexpected and powerful ways. Get your tickets here.
| Advance sales: ¥4,800 | At the door: ¥5,000 | |
| Advance sales: ¥3,800 | ||
Meiji Shrine Autumn Grand Festival
Every year during autumn, a Grand Festival is held at Meiji Shrine (the biggest and most important shrine in Tokyo). The almost week-long festival features an impressive lineup of traditional performing arts presentations — led by masters in the field. The festival will set up a stage in front of the main shrine, as well as other areas.
Shibuya Halloween (Cancelled)
Warning: Shibuya’s mayor has strongly discouraged people from coming to Shibuya this Halloween, citing serious safety concerns. Attendance is basically banned. If you still want a good ‘ol Hallow’s Eve, then take a look at these safe alternatives. An array of costumes from the disturbing to the hilarious are typically on display, although in recent years, there have been more onlookers than cosplayers.
Hakone Daimyo March
This is definitely one for the history-lovers or anyone who enjoys pomp and ceremony; there will be between 100 to 200 participants in period costumes dressed as samurai, geisha, Yakko warriors, workers, and princesses to commemorate the daimyo’s journey through Hakone along the old Tōkaidō road (the major Edo-era route from Kyoto to Tokyo).
Tokyo Ramen Festa
Formerly known as Tokyo Ramen Show, this food festival is exactly what it says on the bowl — lots and lots of ramen. If you’ve ever wondered about all the different styles from around Japan, this is your chance to try them out.
Akari Park (Ueno Winter Illumination)
Find lights spread throughout Ueno Park during this short — but well worth-it — winter illumination. See the museums lit up in rainbow colors, along with projection mapping, lanterns, light instillations, stalls, exhibitions, and promotional tents.
Narita Fireworks Festival
Get ready for a fall fireworks festival in Chiba Prefecture. Tucked away into one of the quieter corners of Chiba, the Inbanuma area is known for its old Buddhist temples and traditions that span back several centuries. During fall, the town shines its brightest as streamers and balls of fireworks are shot into the cool night air.
Tsukemen Expo
Tsukemen is a Japanese dish where noodles are dipped into a separate bowl of broth. At the Tsukemen Expo, the best chefs go head-to-head to be crowned tsukemen champion. You can also enjoy some craft beer and snacks to reset your palate in between — other food stalls will be set up for tsukemen time-outs.
Aoyama Festival
The annual Aoyama Festival, also known as the Aoyama Matsuri takes place at the Aoyama Campus — part way between Shibuya and Omotesandō Stations. The event draws huge crowds, with over 150,000 attending the event in normal years. This year, the theme for the event is Grace — Showcasing Your Feelings.
Doge Day
Kabosu, otherwise known as doge, was the face of one of the most prolific memes on the internet and was beloved around the world. Sakura Furusato Square will be filled with dog and meme lovers. If you’re really dedicated, you can also head to parties in Tokyo before and after the event, where you may get a chance to meet other meme legends…
Dream Yosacoy (Yosakoi) Festival
Yes, that’s how they spell it. Dream Yosacoy — as you can tell from the name — is a bit different. While most outdoor dance festivals are held during the hot summer months, this one is on the cusp of winter. It’s a big deal though. The festival usually attracts 500,000 spectators and 7,000 dancers split into 100 teams.
Tsuchiura All Japan Fireworks Competition
A great chance to see some of Japan’s best fireworks outside of the summer festivals. This is a competitive display admired across the country. Held on the Sakuragawa Riverside in the Gakuen-Ohashi area, there’s plenty of seating with a good view. The event is pretty long, lasting around two and a half hours.
The American Craft Beer Experience
Organized each year by the American Brewers Association, the American Craft Beer Experience is eagerly awaited by Tokyo craft beer aficionados. Along with some of the more famous imported brands, there will be varieties available that have not previously been available in Japan.
Setagaya Bread Festival
This festival, also known as the “Setagaya Pan Matsuri” (subtitled La Fête Du Pain Setagaya) is a celebration of this Western staple to which Japan has taken a liking. There is a bread market, bread university, musical entertainment, and even a stamp rally.
Meiji Jingū Shrine Yabusame
This is a chance to watch yabusame, the impressive Japanese martial art of horse-mounted archery (it’s quite difficult to hit a target from a moving horse). This is part of the annual Autumn Festival which features a host of events from the November 1 to 3 each year at Meiji Jingū Shrine.
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Shinjuku National Garden Chrysanthemum Exhibition
Special chrysanthemum flower beds and arrangements will be on temporary display during this exhibition at Shinjuku Gyoen. Chrysanthemums have been cultivated at Shinjuku Gyoen sincen 1904, but the ones displayed happen to come from inside the Akasaka villa grounds.
| At the door: ¥500 | ||
| At the door: ¥250 | ||
Yushima Tenjin Chrysanthemum Festival
This is a long-running chrysanthemum festival that features some much-loved examples of the autumnal flower, as well as some creative displays. With many kinds of cultivated chrysanthemums being lost due to the difficulty of growing them, the dedication shown by the temple is admirable in itself.
Kameido Tenjin Chrysanthemum Festival
The Chrysanthemum festival follows the plum blossoms of Feb/March and the Wisteria of April/May. The least showy of the three, the flowers are organized in carefully constructed displays and take a closer level of attention for appreciation. There are some fun examples where characters are recreated as well as Bonsai versions too.
Takahata Fudoson Chrysanthemum Festival
Taking place at Takahatasan Kongo-ji, this is one of the largest Chrysanthemum festivals in the Tama area. The displays feature over 1,500 examples of the flower with gardening workshops, a plant sale, and competition judging too.
Nomi no Ichi Antique Market
Held twice a year (in spring and fall) and gaining a strong following, this antique fair usually takes place at the Green Culture Zone in National Showa Memorial Park. Since this is an outdoor market they do sometimes cancel in case of rain and will announce at 7 a.m. on the day via their website.
| Advance sales: ¥1,500 | At the door: ¥2,000 | |
Malaysia Fair Tokyo
Malaysian culture comes to Tokyo at the Malaysian Fair 2024 Tokyo. Immerse yourself in the food, fashion, and festivities across this autumn weekend.
Deutschland Festival
Grab a taste of German life in Tokyo at Aoyama Park. This German Festival is co-sponsored by the German Embassy, so you know it’s the real deal. There will be plenty of fresh food stalls with sausages, pastries, pretzels, and traditional dishes galore along with wines and beers to wash them down with.
Diwali in Yokohama
On a usual year, 200,000 people celebrate Diwali — the Indian festival of lights — in Yokohama. This makes it one of the largest India-related festivals in Japan. There will be music and plenty of entertainment. There will be bollywood-style dancing, yoga, and lots and lots of candles.
Japan Fisherman’s Festival
Celebrating all things fish, this fisherman’s festival will have an array of stalls to choose from. Run by the Sakana and Japan Festival, it was attended by over 140,000 people in 2019 and is filled with the best seafood from across the country. Try some Japanese specialties like deep-sea tempura and some international options too like paella — all using the freshest ingredients.
Kanda Used Book Festival
The Kanda Used Book Festival is one of the largest annual events in the Jinbōchō district of Kanda — renowned as a town of used and antique books. For the festival, bookshelves are placed on the sidewalks of the area’s main street (Yasukuni Dōri), creating a long corridor of books that faces the local bookstores. An annual autumn festival held to celebrate the beautiful changing leaves of the area. he well-known Momiji Tunnel is a highlight, with evening illuminations from sunset until 10 p.m. There will be food stalls, performances, and local specialties to try, with crowds expected for weekends. You can see a map of the festival on the event site (in Japanese) here. Drop, turn, open — these capsules are full of surprises. Experience the Saikū Cultural Art Festival in Mie until December. Natural disasters ranked highly — but that's not all we found out. One of Tokyo's major attractions has announced its return. It's true: Japan has a low crime rate, but that's only one piece of the travel safety puzzle. Here's what to know to stay safe during your visit. Got summer plans? We've got the best of what's new for summer 2023, what's on for a limited time, and what to see before time runs out (or prices go up). We're sad to report it's not just the Japan Rail Pass. Price increases are coming to Tokyo Disney, USJ, and more. The pre-sale lottery for The Eras Tour at Tokyo Dome is open now until July 10. If you hope to get tickets for February 2024, don't miss out.
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