Written by Patrick Balfe
Tokyo events for Monday, Aug 24 to Sunday, Aug 30, 2026.
Some of the city’s biggest annual events bring summer festivities to a close this week. Dance festivals take center stage with Kōenji Awa Odori, Asakusa Samba Carnival, and Harajuku Omotesando Super Yosakoi among the highlights. Meanwhile, Tokyo Toy Show heads to Ariake, and Harajuku hosts a kawaii night market.
Kōenji Awa Odori Festival
The Kōenji Awa Odori Festival fills two days with shedloads of dancing. While many events at this time of year take place during the scorching daytime heat, this festival is a bit more sensible, with festivities kicking off in the cool of the evening. Organizers tout 10,000 dancers and musicians and an expected 1 million people turning up to watch.
Asakusa Samba Carnival
The Asakusa Samba Carnival is a big, blown-out affair, with a lively parade, typically attracting around 50,000 people. Reflecting Japan’s close ties with Brazil, the festival sees teams compete with samba floats, drummers, and, of course, dancers with enormous feathered headdresses.
Harajuku Omotesando Super Yosakoi
The dance festival is on a massive scale, with around 6,000 performers in dance groups from throughout Japan competing for the top spot. The festival includes a parade, an event stage, and stalls in the Event Square at Yoyogi Park, plus performances in the surrounding Harajuku and Omotesando areas.
Shibuya Anime Music Night
Head to a cozy Shibuya live house to listen to your favorite anime songs. It is designed to be English-friendly and suitable for solo visitors, with no prior experience or Japanese language skills required.
Minato Mirai Bon Dance Festival
Join the yukata-clad masses in the annual Bon dance tradition at Rinko Park — in the shade of the skyscrapers on the Yokohama port waterfront.
Tokyo Otsuka Awa Odori
Enjoy watching several talented dance troupes enthusiastically chant, sing, and dance their way down Minami-Otsuka Street in traditional Obon outfits. Locals of all ages help bring the community spirit to life.
Harajuku Yosakoi Fair
This fair brings a slice of Kochi summer festival culture to Harajuku. On August 28, three dance teams, including Kochi’s Honiya, perform on Harakado’s rooftop. There are two sets, at 6 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.
Harajuku Kawaii Night Market
The Japanese summer festival experience — but make it Harajuku. Buy one of seven colored prayer cards and hold it up to special lanterns around the site. The lanterns react with different lights and sounds. Around the rooftop, the cast of Kawaii Monster Land takes over. The Harajuku Yosakoi Fair will be running concurrently.
Yōga Summer Festival
This local, student-led festival will once again celebrate the community of Yōga at Yōga Kusunoki Park. On the stage, people of all ages sing and dance, and there’s usually a fashion show, too. Staying put in the city this summer? This annual event at the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse is designed to transport you to faraway locales — all without the stress of catching a flight. The Tokyo Toy Show is Japan’s biggest show for the toy trade. While the first two days are trade-only, the event opens to everyone on the weekend — and it’s a solid family deal, since junior high schoolers and younger get in free. The Pirates of Tokyo Bay is a monthly English and Japanese improv comedy show performed at What The Dickens! in Ebisu. The unscripted and interactive shows, performed in both English and Japanese, feature a mix of skits, games, and audience participation from a team of dedicated improv comedy nerds. The projection mapping features Hatsune Miku performing the hit track “M@GICAL☆CURE! LOVE ♡ SHOT!”, which has over 40 million views on YouTube. This is one of Tokyo’s largest projection mapping installations. The Akishima Citizen Whale Festival takes place at Showa Park (athletics stadium) and commemorates the discovery of an ancient whale fossil in the town in 1961. Highlights include a giant whale being pushed through the streets and a fireworks display. The fireworks are typically held on the first Monday of August each year but have been moved to Monday, August 24 in 2026. The fireworks will go off around 7:10 p.m. and last 45 minutes, with live music and other activities in the area beforehand. 3,000 fireworks paint the sky in a blaze of color at this fireworks festival, just a little over an hour away from Shibuya. Tokyo River Friends organizes regular litter-picking events on the banks of the Arakawa, Edogawa, and Tamagawa rivers. No reservation required — just show up at the appointed meeting spot. Explore the most popular of the Fuji Five Lakes. Tokyo events for Monday, October 5, to Sunday, October 11, 2026. See why Kamakura is such a popular day trip from Tokyo. With money-saving and travel medical insurance tips. Look forward to Halloween parties, Edo-era festivals, fireworks, and more. A mega 30,000 sqm teamLab museum is in the works. Here's what we know so far. Garden openings, shrine festivals, and Shimokita street art await. Japan gets a rare five-day holiday this September — here's how to make the most of it. 
Red Brick Sunset
International Tokyo Toy Show
Advance sales: ¥2,000 At the door: ¥2,200 Advance sales: ¥0 Pirates of Tokyo Bay: English & Japanese Improv Comedy
Advance sales: ¥2,500 At the door: ¥2,500 Hatsune Miku Lights Tokyo: Projection Mapping
Akishima Citizen Whale Festival
Minato Mirai Smart Fireworks Festival
Shōnan Hiratsuka Fireworks Festival
Tokyo River Clean-Up
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