OfficialOn nowKabuki's flagship Ginza theatre stages its July all-star run, headlined by a spectacular 13-role quick-change tour de force and a 43-year revival packed with aerial stunts and a real-water finale. English captioning is available.
2026/07/02 11:00 TokyoFrom ¥5,000 (Upper Tier B) up to ¥20,000 (Special Seat). English/Chinese captioning service +¥1,500.
© Shakher59 · CC BY-SA 4.0
OfficialUpcomingThe home of bunraku, Japan's UNESCO-listed puppet theatre, where master puppeteers, tayu chanters and shamisen bring epic dramas to life.
2026/07/25 11:00 OsakaTickets vary by program; English audio guide available
© Hiart · CC0
OfficialUpcomingA Guinness-record wall of taiko drums thunders through Morioka as thousands of dancers chant 'Sakkora choiwayasse!'
2026/08/01 18:00 Across JapanFree
© Marho · CC BY-SA 4.0
OfficialUpcomingAwa Odori 2026 (Aug 12–15, Tokushima): grandstand seat prices, the 2026 on-sale dates, how to buy via Ticket Pia, and how to get there.
2026/08/12 18:00 Across JapanReserved grandstand ¥1,000 (C) – ¥3,000 (S); Minami-uchimachi SS ¥6,000 / Special ¥15,000
© Kounosu · CC BY-SA 3.0
OfficialUpcomingJapan's most famous dance festival: 100,000 dancers and a million spectators fill Tokushima with rhythm every August.
2026/08/12 18:00 Across JapanFree
© Rosino · CC BY-SA 2.0OfficialUpcomingGujo Odori 2026's all-night Tetsuya Odori runs over Obon, Aug 13-16, from 8 pm to 4-5 am. The stage is the old castle town of Gujo-Hachiman in Gifu, about a 20-min walk from Gujo-Hachiman Station. Verified dates, venue and access for first-timers.
2026/08/13 20:00Free
© Marho · CC BY-SA 4.0
OfficialUpcomingTokyo's own Awa dance takes over Koenji's backstreets as 10,000-plus dancers in 'ren' troupes whirl through the summer night.
2026/08/29 17:00 TokyoFree
© Marufish from Alor Setar, Malaysia · CC BY-SA 2.0
OfficialUpcomingJapan's oldest kabuki theatre in Kyoto stages a modern crossover, fusing the world of kabuki with the famous anime master-thief Lupin III. A playful, fast-paced gateway into the art form, with English audio guides available.
2026/09/02 11:00 KyotoTickets vary by seat class; check the official site. English audio guide available for rental.
© Chainwit. · CC BY-SA 4.0
OfficialUpcomingFifty-four golden, 5.5-metre taiko-dai floats are hoisted by 150-strong crews in one of Shikoku's three great festivals.
2026/10/16 08:00 Across JapanFree
© Midori (Wikimedia user) · CC BY-SA 3.0
OfficialUpcomingKyoto's only autumn geisha dance, staged by the geiko and maiko of the Gion Higashi district. Ten days of elegant kyomai dance under lanterns, accompanied by live shamisen and song — a refined seasonal highlight of Kyoto.
2026/11/01 13:30 Kyoto¥6,000 (viewing only); ¥7,000 with a tea ceremony. Two shows daily at 13:30 and 16:00.
© Joi (Joi Ito) · CC BY 2.0
OfficialUpcomingAt Tokyo's National Noh Theatre, watch the 650-year-old art of noh and its comic counterpart kyogen, including a piece performed by celebrated kyogen master Nomura Mansai. English subtitles appear on screens built into the seatbacks.
2026/11/06 18:30 TokyoFront-stage ¥5,800 / Side-stage ¥4,000 (students ¥2,800) / Middle-stage ¥3,500 (students ¥2,500).
© Yoshiyuki Ito · CC BY-SA 3.0
OfficialPast eventGion's geiko and maiko perform the elegant Miyako Odori every April, a dazzling spring dance of kimono, music and seasonal scenes.
2026/04/01 12:30 KyotoTickets from around 4,000 yen; tea-ceremony seats cost more
© Conveyor belt sushi · CC BY 2.0
OfficialPast eventIn the heart of old-town Asakusa, this beloved yose performs 365 days a year — rakugo storytelling plus manzai, magic, acrobatics and impressions. Drop in any day for an authentic dose of downtown Tokyo entertainment.
2026/06/28 11:00 TokyoBox-office tickets, all unreserved. Day program from 11:40, evening from 16:40.
© DXR · CC BY-SA 4.0
LumaPast eventLie back and feel the resonance of Japanese taiko in an immersive sound-bath session.
2026/06/28 16:30 Tokyo¥7,000
© Nanako · via Luma
OfficialPast eventTokyo's oldest yose (variety hall), founded in 1857, runs daily programs of rakugo comic storytelling alongside manzai, magic, paper-cutting and acrobatics. A relaxed, ever-changing slice of Edo-era popular entertainment.
2026/06/29 12:00 TokyoAround ¥3,500 adults / ¥2,500 students. Day program from ~12:30, evening from ~17:00.
© Wintermelonizm · CC BY-SA 3.0
OfficialPast eventA rare surviving wooden yose from the early 20th century, Suehirotei keeps the intimate atmosphere of old Tokyo. Daily rakugo and variety acts in tatami-and-cushion seating, a one-minute walk from busy Shinjuku-Sanchome.
2026/07/01 12:00 TokyoAbout ¥3,500 adults (students ¥3,000; discounted evening entry available). Day from 12:00, evening from 16:45.
© 江戸村のとくぞう · CC BY-SA 4.0