Written by Aarohi Narain
Join this joyful celebration of hula, right here in Tokyo.
What happens?
Thanks to deep cultural ties between Hawaii and Japan, hula has flourished as a dance form here, where thousands of hālau or hula schools carry on traditions with care and passion. Tokyo Hula Festa bridges the Pacific through rhythm, movement, and shared aloha.
Over two days, more than 100 teams and 2,500 dancers gather to perform traditional Hawaiian hula, modern styles, and Tahitian dance.
Pop-up stalls around the main venues serve cold drinks, island-inspired bites, and festival souvenirs.
Schedule 2025
The main festival days are Saturday, July 12, and Sunday, July 13. Here is the key information:
July 12 (Sat.)
- 12:00–19:00: 17 teams at the Global Ring Theater
- 11:00–18:15: 25 teams at Sunshine City’s Fountain Square
- 12:00–16:45: 12 teams at Naka-Ikebukuro Park
- 13:00–18:00: 15 teams at Tobu Department Store Sky Deck
July 13 (Sun.)
- 11:00–19:00: 20 teams at the Global Ring Theater
- 11:00–18:15: 25 teams at Sunshine City’s Fountain Square
- 11:00–18:00: 19 teams at Naka-Ikebukuro Park
- 12:00–17:30: 18 teams at Tobu Department Store Sky Deck
With over a hundred teams performing, each stage operates on a slightly different schedule. If you’re rooting for a particular team, you’ll want to check out the timings.
July 11, Friday, is designated as a pre-festival day. There will be live music performances from 2 and 3 p.m. and Tahitian dance from 4 p.m. at the Global Ring Theater in Ikebukuro.
Keen to boogie? Anyone can join in at 6:45 p.m. for 15 minutes of hula on any day during the festival at the Global Ring Theater.
How to get there
The main stage is set at the Global Ring Theater in Ikebukuro Nishiguchi Park, but performances ripple out to the Sunshine City Fountain Plaza, Tobu Department Store’s Sky Deck, and Naka-Ikebukuro Park.
Each of the four stages is within a 10-minute walk from the west or east exits of Ikebukuro Station.
Organizers may cancel events, alter schedules, or change admission requirements without notice. Always check official sites before heading to an event.
