Written by Patrick Balfe
Tokyo events for Monday, November 3, to Sunday, November 9, 2025.
With Halloween behind us, the color of flowers takes center stage this week with chrysanthemum festivals throughout the city.
The Local Green, Meiji Shrine, and Fuji-Kawaguchiko Fall Leaves festivals give us more reasons to get out into nature, and the Iruma Air and Japan Mobility shows are ones for the petrol heads. On top of that, this week you can also catch an inner-city snowboard comp for a good cause and free buses to more than 50 special exhibitions across Tokyo.
Meiji Jingū Shrine Yabusame
This is a chance to watch yabusame, the impressive Japanese martial art of horse-mounted archery during the Meiji Shrine Autumn Grand Festival.
Fuji-Kawaguchiko Fall Leaves Festival
This is an annual autumn festival held to celebrate the area’s beautiful changing leaves. There will be food stalls, performances, and local specialties to try, with crowds expected on weekends.
Hakone Daimyō 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, workers, and princesses to commemorate the daimyō’s journey through Hakone along the old Tōkaidō road (the major Edo-era route from Kyoto to Tokyo).
Hamarikyu Gardens Moon Viewing
Stroll through one of Tokyo’s most famous gardens by moonlight. For one week only, Hamarikyu Gardens will extend its opening hours so visitors can take in the full moon via illuminated paths.
Local Green Festival
This festival is all about music and sustainability. The festival combines live music, plant markets, vintage finds, and gourmet food, all under the theme “life with green”.
Iruma Air Show
The Japan Air Self-Defense Force will showcase some of its finest aircraft, including the F-15. The Ground Self-Defense Force will stage a parachute drop, and then the Blue Impulse JASDF aerobatic demonstration team will provide the highlight of the show.
Japan Mobility Show
Expect to see the latest cars and bikes, as well as innovative designs that showcase what mobility may look like in the future.
| Advance sales: ¥3,500 | At the door: ¥3,000 | |
Snow Bank Pay It Forward: Tokyo Snow Festival
Tokyo Snow Festival brings together local snowboarders and bands to raise money and awareness for bone marrow donation charities. Over 50 snowboarders will compete in men’s, women’s, and kids’ trick contests, and bands will perform on the main stage.
Tokyo Human Rights Awareness Festival
Tokyo’s annual human rights awareness festival returns. There will also be universal sports like boccia and wheelchair basketball. Join a low-vision simulation, and enjoy live music, dance, and storytelling.
Suginami Festa
There will be over 100 stalls selling food and crafts, including food and wares from Pakistan and Uzbekistan. Plus, there will be entertainment from around the world, as well as games and sports to try.
Kawagoe International Exchange Festival
Kawagoe International Exchange Festival celebrates diversity with international food and folk performances from the area’s international community. Enjoy food and performances as well as opportunities to get involved in local volunteer initiatives.
Art Week Tokyo
In collaboration with Art Basel and sponsored by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, AWT gives you the chance to hop on and off buses for free, visiting more than 50 special exhibitions and venues across Tokyo.
Tokyo Midtown Design Live
Tokyo Midtown Design Live (formerly known as Design Touch) is an innovative art event happening in and around Tokyo Midtown in Roppongi. Past highlights have included immersive color-drenched landscapes, artist‑designed playgrounds, and forest‑school workshops under the trees.
Tokyo International Film Festival
Don’t let the “film festival” in the name intimidate you — you don’t have to be a connoisseur of arthouse films to enjoy the festival. This year marks the 38th edition of the festival.
Chiba City Arts Triennale
The festival’s focus is on participatory art projects that involve local people, rather than just traditional exhibitions.
Candlelight Concert: Holiday Special Ft. The Nutcracker and More
Huddle up on a chilly night before Christmas with candlelight and carol tunes. A string quartet and two ballet performers will take you on a journey through The Nutcracker, plus some pieces from Swan Lake and other recognizable classics.
Weekend Comedy at TCB
Just 1 minute from Shibuya Station, Tokyo Comedy Bar has built a name for itself as the home of comedy in the city. Each week, Tokyo’s best comedians hit the stage to showcase their sets, and the local comedy community gathers for a laugh.
| Advance sales: ¥2,000 | ||
AniBeat: Tokyo Anime Music Live Performance
Catch intimate live performances of your favorite anime tracks in Shinbashi. Expect to hear classics from Studio Ghibli films like Spirited Away and Kiki’s Delivery Service as well as theme songs from series like Evangelion and Dragon Ball Z performed on piano and flute with a live vocalist.
Shinjuku National Garden Chrysanthemum Exhibition
Special chrysanthemum flower beds and arrangements will be on temporary display during this exhibition at Shinjuku Gyoen.
| At the door: ¥500 | ||
| At the door: ¥250 | ||
Meiji Jingū Kikkaten
Meaning “chrysanthemum exhibition”, the Kikkaten is an annual celebration of the seasonal flower at Meiji Jingū, one of Tokyo’s most visited Shintō shrines.
Kameido Tenjin Chrysanthemum Festival
This is the third flower festival of the year at Kameido Tenjin Shrine. There are some fun examples where characters are recreated, as well as bonsai versions, too.
Jindai Botanical Gardens Chrysanthemum Show
This celebration of Japan’s imperial flower includes planted beds, as well as displays. Another highlight is the Kamiyo float, a wooden cart decorated with hundreds of chrysanthemums that the staff builds each year.
| At the door: ¥500 | ||
| At the door: ¥200 | ||
| At the door: ¥250 | ||
Tokyo Metropolitan Tourism Chrysanthemum Exhibition
The Tokyo Metropolitan Tourism Chrysanthemum Exhibition has been held since 1914 and is known as Japan’s foremost chrysanthemum exhibition for both quality and quantity of flowers.
Autumn Rose Festival
The Autumn Rose Festival at Kyu-Furukawa Gardens is a wonderful place to chill out and smell the roses. It takes place between October and November every year. If you miss this, there’s also a rose festival in spring.
| At the door: ¥150 | ||
| At the door: ¥70 | ||
Latina PARRILLA: One Year Anniversary Matsusaka Wagyu Special Menu
The team at Latina Parrilla is celebrating one year in Ginza by offering a special treat to its customers.
| At the door: ¥13,000 | ||
Sanrio Puroland Halloween
Join your favorite Sanrio characters this Halloween at this special PUROHALLOWEEN event. This year’s event is held at Sanrio Puroland from September 5 to November 4, with the theme of witches and wizards.
Touching Horror – Inside the World of Japanese Horror Film Art
Love Japanese horror? Add this exhibition to your Halloween plans. J-horror tends to burrow under the skin rather than leap out at you with gore and jump scares.
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