Highlights
- Costumed samba teams competing for the title
- Live bateria percussion sections
- 41st edition parade contest
Background & story
Launched in 1981 to revitalize the Asakusa district, it has grown into Japan's largest samba carnival, judged as a competition between Rio-style escola teams.
Good to know for visitors
- Getting there
- Short walk from Asakusa Station (Tokyo Metro Ginza / Toei Asakusa / Tobu / Tsukuba Express lines). Open directions in Google Maps ↗
- Booking & entry
- Free to attend — details on the official page (button above).
- Language
- Mostly in Japanese — a translation app on your phone helps.
- Good for
- culture seekers, music fans, groups of friends
Good to know
The route along Umamichi Street fills fast; arrive well before the 13:00 start for a front-row view.
Frequently asked questions
- When was the Asakusa Samba Carnival 2026 held?
- The 41st Asakusa Samba Carnival Parade Contest took place on Saturday, August 29, 2026 from 13:00 and has ended (organizer's event overview and Aug 29 thank-you post; GO TOKYO marks the 2026 event as finished; checked 2026-10-11).
- When is the Asakusa Samba Carnival 2027?
- As of 2026-10-11 the organizer has not announced the date of the next (2027) edition. The 2026 edition was held on the last Saturday of August (Aug 29). Check the official site at https://www.asakusa-samba.org/ for the confirmed date.
- What is the parade route?
- The parade runs along Umamichi-dori to Kaminarimon-dori in Asakusa (organizer's event overview: 浅草 馬道通り～雷門通り, checked 2026-10-11). The organizer describes viewing as standing-room along the route. Confirm the 2027 route on the official site once announced.
- Who won the 2026 contest?
- According to the organizer's official results PDF dated 2026-08-29, Escola de Samba Saúde placed first in the S1 Samba League with 357.0 points, followed by G.R.E.S. União dos Amadores and G.R.E.S. Nakamise Barbaros; G.R.E.S. Liberdade won the S2 Samba League (checked 2026-10-11).
- How do I get there?
- According to GO TOKYO (the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's official tourism site), the event is a 1-minute walk from Asakusa Station (Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, Toei Asakusa Line, Tobu Skytree Line) and a 3-minute walk from Tawaramachi Station (Tokyo Metro Ginza Line), checked 2026-10-11. For any road closures or Toei bus changes on the day, check the organizer's official site (https://www.asakusa-samba.org/) and the notices from Asakusa Police Station and the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation.
Getting there
Umamichi Street to Kaminarimon Street, Asakusa — Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo (Umamichi-dori / Kaminarimon-dori)