OfficialOn now© Joi (Joi Ito) · CC BY 2.0Kyoto'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.
Until Tue, Nov 10, 2026 17:00 JST Kyoto¥6,000 (viewing only); ¥7,000 with a tea ceremony. Two shows daily at 13:30 and 16:00.
OfficialOn now© Type specimen · CC BY-SA 3.0Midosuji Illumination 2026 runs Tuesday 3 November to Thursday 31 December, lit every night from about 17:00 to 25:00 (1am) along 4 km of Midosuji from Umeda to Namba. No ticket needed; the lighting ceremony is on 23 November.
Until Thu, Dec 31, 2026 23:00 JST OsakaFree
OfficialThis weekend© Volfgang · CC BY-SA 3.0Saturday 14 – Sunday 15 November 2026, 10:00–18:00 both days, at Tokyo Big Sight West & South Halls (about 6,500 booths a day). One-day pass ¥800 advance / ¥1,000 on the day, two-day pass ¥1,500 advance, elementary-school age and under free (official, checked 2026-10-13).
Sat, Nov 14, 2026 10:00 JST TokyoPaid. One-day pass ¥800 advance / ¥1,000 on the day; two-day pass ¥1,500 advance (not sold on the day); elementary-school age and under free.
OfficialUpcoming© Joseph Breck & Sons;
New England Agricultural Warehouse;
Henry G. Gilbert N · No restrictionsJapan's largest media, broadcast and pro-AV technology show—cameras, audio, lighting, XR and content tech under one roof.
Wed, Nov 18, 2026 10:00 JST TokyoFree
OfficialUpcoming© Qiuqizhenghong · CC BY-SA 3.0Sapporo White Illumination 2026 (46th edition) opens on Friday 20 November 2026. Odori stays lit to 25 December, Ekimae-dori to 11 February 2027, and Minami-1-jo-dori, Akapla and the Station South Exit plaza to 14 March 2027. Free to view, with a new Nakajima Park venue added for 2026.
Fri, Nov 20, 2026 16:30 JST SapporoFree
OfficialUpcoming© Volfgang · CC BY-SA 3.0Tokyo Comic Con 2026 runs 11–13 December at Makuhari Messe (Fri from 11:00, weekend 10:00). Advance 1-day tickets ¥5,500, 3-day pass ¥9,900. All eight guest acts so far, from Nicolas Cage to Mads Mikkelsen, plus autograph prices and access (checked 2026-10-13).
Fri, Dec 11, 2026 11:00 JST TokyoPaid (tax incl.): 3DAY PASS ¥9,900 (limited); 1-day general ¥5,500 advance / ¥5,900 on the day, U-18 ¥1,000, U-15 ¥500. Autograph/photo tickets extra.
OfficialUpcoming© Mc681 · CC BY-SA 4.0OSAKA Hikari Renaissance 2026 runs 11–25 December around Osaka City Hall and Nakanoshima Park. The Central Public Hall projection mapping plays 17:30–21:30 (last show 21:20), free and in any weather; the City Hall façade and tree-lined street are lit 3 Nov–31 Dec, 17:00–25:00. Checked 2026-10-14.
Fri, Dec 11, 2026 16:00 JST OsakaFree
OfficialUpcoming© Chad Davis · CC BY 2.0COMITIA 158 runs on Sunday 13 December 2026, 11:00–16:00, at Tokyo Big Sight East Halls 1, 2, 3, 7 and 8. Entry is by catalog — Tia's Magazine 158, ¥1,400 in advance or ¥1,500 on the day, free for under-12s. 6,000 circle slots. (Official COMITIA site, as of 8 September 2026.)
Sun, Dec 13, 2026 11:00 JST TokyoThe catalog, Tia's Magazine 158, is your entry pass: ¥1,400 in bookshops in advance, ¥1,500 at the venue. Free for under-12s. The catalog goes on sale 15 November 2026. (Official COMITIA site, as of 8 September 2026.)
OfficialUpcoming© Vincent van Gogh · Public domainTokyo Auto Salon 2027 runs Jan 15–17, 2027 at Makuhari Messe. Digital advance tickets are on sale from Oct 1: ¥3,000 Sat/Sun, ¥4,000 for Friday's 2–7 pm public session.
Fri, Jan 15, 2027 09:00 JST TokyoDigital tickets only (sold in advance, date-specific): ¥4,000 for Friday's public session, ¥3,000 for Saturday or Sunday (tax incl.). Elementary-school age and younger free with a guardian.
OfficialUpcoming© ぱちょぴ · CC BY-SA 3.0Nagasaki Lantern Festival 2027 runs Fri 5 – Sun 21 February (17 days) and is free to view. The Emperor's Parade is on Sat 13 & Sat 20 Feb, the Mazu Procession on Sun 7 & Sun 14 Feb, and the dragon dance runs daily, with ~15,000 Chinese lanterns across central Nagasaki.
Fri, Feb 5, 2027 Across JapanFree
OfficialUpcoming© Aos.1905 (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA 4.0Osaka Auto Messe 2027 runs Fri 12 – Sun 14 February 2027 at INTEX Osaka, 9:00–18:00. Tickets are planned to go on sale in December 2026; prices are not yet announced (a 2026 advance general ticket was ¥3,000).
Fri, Feb 12, 2027 09:00 JST Osaka2027 prices not yet announced; tickets planned to go on sale in December 2026. 2026 show: general ¥3,000 advance / ¥3,500 on the day; U-22 ¥2,000 / ¥2,500; visitors with a disability certificate ¥2,000 / ¥2,500 (one carer free). Each general ticket admitted one child of junior-high age or younger free with a guardian (tax included; checked 2026-10-13).
OfficialUpcoming© Dietmar Rabich · CC BY-SA 4.0Japan's leading art fair, spanning antiques to cutting-edge contemporary across 150-plus galleries in the heart of Marunouchi.
Fri, Mar 12, 2027 11:00 JST TokyoPaid admission ticket (around ¥3,000 in recent editions); the day before public opening is an invitation-only preview.
OfficialUpcoming© z tanuki · CC BY 3.0Twelve ornate Edo-era yatai floats with karakuri puppets parade through old Takayama, glowing with around 100 lanterns each at the night festival.
Wed, Apr 14, 2027 09:00 JST NagoyaFree
OfficialUpcoming© Jean-Pierre Dalbéra · CC BY 2.0KYOTOGRAPHIE 2027 runs 17 April to 16 May 2027, its 15th edition. The dates are confirmed on the official site; the theme, artist line-up, venue list and 2027 ticket prices are not yet announced. For reference, the 2026 all-venue Passport was ¥5,500 in advance (¥3,000 for students) and single-venue tickets ran ¥800–¥1,500, with under-15s free.
Sat, Apr 17, 2027 10:00 JST Kyoto2027 prices are not yet announced (as of September 2026). For reference, the 2026 edition priced the all-venue Passport at ¥5,500 in advance and ¥5,800 online / ¥6,000 paper during the festival, with a ¥3,000 student Passport; single-venue tickets ran ¥800–¥1,500 (student ¥400–¥800), an Express Passport was ¥15,000, and children under 15 entered free. Some programmes are free.
OfficialUpcoming© Z3144228 · CC BY-SA 4.0Kanazawa's grandest festival reenacts feudal lord Maeda Toshiie's triumphant entry into the castle, with a costumed warrior procession, tea ceremonies and lantern-lit dances.
Fri, Jun 4, 2027 09:00 JST KanazawaFree
OfficialOpen year-round© 金沢市 · CC BY 2.1 jpA serene Yoshio Taniguchi pavilion honoring Zen philosopher D.T. Suzuki, built around a still 'Water Mirror Garden' for contemplation.
Open year-round KanazawaAdult ~¥310
OfficialOpen year-round© DrHughManning · CC BY-SA 4.0A lakeside museum in Ohori Park by architect Kunio Maekawa, mixing Dali and Warhol with Buddhist treasures across 16,000+ works.
Open year-round FukuokaCollection ~¥200; special exhibitions vary
OfficialOpen year-round© Hirho · CC BY-SA 4.0The only museum in the world systematically collecting modern and contemporary Asian art — 5,000+ works from 23 Asian countries and regions.
Open year-round FukuokaCollection admission modest; special exhibitions vary
OfficialOpen year-round© Taisyo at Japanese Wikipedia · CC BY 3.0Japan's first public contemporary art museum, a Kisho Kurokawa landmark crowning Hijiyama hill with bold rotating exhibitions.
Open year-round HiroshimaCollection ~¥370; special exhibitions vary
OfficialOpen year-round© K. Takeda at Japanese Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0Central Sapporo's flagship art museum, with 5,000+ works spanning Hokkaido art, the Ecole de Paris, glasswork and modern Japanese painting.
Open year-round SapporoCollection admission modest; special exhibitions vary
OfficialOpen year-round© そらみみ · CC BY-SA 4.0A Kisho Kurokawa building tucked into Shirakawa Park, strong on the Ecole de Paris, the Mexican Renaissance and local modern art.
Open year-round NagoyaCollection ~¥300; special exhibitions vary
OfficialOpen year-round© Hiart · CC0The home of bunraku, Japan's UNESCO-listed puppet theatre, where master puppeteers, tayu chanters and shamisen bring epic dramas to life.
Open year-round OsakaTickets vary by program; English audio guide available
OfficialOpen year-round© Konrad Krzyżanowski · Public domainA striking subterranean museum on Nakanoshima island devoted to postwar and contemporary art, behind a soaring bamboo-like steel facade.
Open year-round OsakaCollection exhibition ~¥430; special exhibitions vary
OfficialOpen year-round© Ymblanter · CC BY-SA 4.0A Kenzo Tange landmark in Minato Mirai, freshly reopened after a three-year renovation, strong on modern art and Yokohama-rooted photography.
Open year-round YokohamaCollection admission modest; special exhibitions vary
OfficialPast event© Conveyor belt sushi · CC BY 2.0Gion's geiko and maiko perform the elegant Miyako Odori every April, a dazzling spring dance of kimono, music and seasonal scenes.
Wed, Apr 1, 2026 12:30 JST KyotoTickets from around 4,000 yen; tea-ceremony seats cost more
OfficialPast event© Unknown · CC BY-SA 3.0Contemporary art on the 53rd floor of Roppongi Hills, paired with one of Tokyo's best skyline views from the City View deck.
Fri, Jun 26, 2026 10:00 JST TokyoAdmission around 2,000 yen; often includes the observation deck
connpassPast event© 一般社団法人リサーチアソシエーション · via connpassJapan's conference on design and UX research, themed 'WEAVING,' with sessions, panels and workshops.
Sun, Jun 28, 2026 10:00 JST TokyoFree
OfficialPast event© Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.5Learn to hold the brush, control the ink and write kanji the traditional way in a 90-minute English-led shodo class — and take your finished artwork home as a keepsake.
Sun, Jun 28, 2026 11:00 JST KyotoReserve via the official site for current pricing
OfficialPast event© Carla Antonini · CC BY-SA 3.0Japan's oldest and largest museum in Ueno Park, home to samurai armor, Buddhist art and an unrivaled national treasure collection.
Mon, Jun 29, 2026 09:00 JST TokyoRegular collection around 1,000 yen; special exhibits priced separately
OfficialPast event© Tom Parker · Public domainThrow your own bowl or cup on an electric potter's wheel with a third-generation Kyoto ceramicist near Sennyu-ji; your fired piece is shipped to you afterward.
Tue, Jun 30, 2026 10:00 JST KyotoQuick course about ¥2,000 (20 min); standard course ¥5,000 (30-60 min), plus tax
OfficialPast event© City of Kanazawa · CC BY 2.1 jpA circular, glass-walled art museum famous for Leandro Erlich's Swimming Pool — playful, interactive and free to wander outside.
Thu, Jul 2, 2026 10:00 JST KanazawaFree public zones; ticketed exhibition galleries
OfficialPast event© ajari · CC BY 2.0Explore Kanazawa's gold-leaf workshops, colorful Kutani porcelain and the preserved Higashi Chaya geisha district.
Fri, Jul 3, 2026 10:00 JST KanazawaFree
LumaPast event© Mira Musette · via LumaA free pop-up of paper ephemera and collage at Design Festa Gallery Harajuku — browse, shop, make.
Fri, Jul 3, 2026 10:30 JST TokyoFree
OfficialPast event© Suicasmo · CC BY-SA 4.0A mountain hot-spring resort near Mt. Fuji, combining steaming onsen, a sculpture park, a pirate-ship lake cruise and ropeway views.
Sat, Jul 4, 2026 09:00 JST Across JapanOnsen and museum entries vary; a Hakone Free Pass saves on transport
OfficialPast event© 663highland · CC BY 2.5An island in the Seto Inland Sea reborn as living art, with Tadao Ando museums, a Yayoi Kusama pumpkin and outdoor installations.
Sun, Jul 5, 2026 10:00 JST Across JapanMuseum tickets vary; Chichu Art Museum needs advance booking
connpassPast event© 株式会社タイミー · via connpassA Timee case-study session on business strategy and design challenges—how product design and designers' roles evolve in the AI era.
Mon, Jul 6, 2026 19:00 JST TokyoFree
OfficialPast event© Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0World-touring taiko troupe DRUM TAO performs a 45-minute show at its own open-air theatre, perched at 1,036m in the grasslands of Aso-Kuju National Park. Thunderous drumming, athletic choreography and sweeping highland views.
Tue, Jul 7, 2026 14:00 JST Across JapanAdults (junior-high+) ¥4,500; children (4+) ¥2,500; under 3 free. Spring/autumn shows at 14:00.
OfficialPast event© Shixart1985 · CC BY 2.0Japan's largest handmade-craft festival, where about 3,000 creators sell jewelry, ceramics, leather, art and food over one weekend.
Sat, Jul 11, 2026 11:00 JST Tokyo¥1,300 advance / ¥1,500 door (1-day); ¥2,000 advance / ¥2,500 door (2-day); elementary schoolers and younger free.
OfficialPast event© 663highland · CC BY 2.5A celebrated contemporary art festival scattered across the islands of the Seto Inland Sea, blending installations with fishing-village life.
Mon, Jul 13, 2026 09:00 JST Across JapanPassport tickets cover many sites; some works charge separately
OfficialPast event© Volfgang · CC BY-SA 3.0COMITIA 157 was held on Sunday 23 August 2026 at Tokyo Big Sight and has ended. The next edition is **COMITIA 158 on Sunday 13 December 2026, in Tokyo Big Sight East Halls 1, 2, 3, 7 and 8**. After that, 159 falls on 14 March 2027 and 160 on 23 May 2027.
Sun, Aug 23, 2026 11:00 JST TokyoThe catalog (Tia's Magazine 157) is your entry pass: ¥1,400 in bookshops in advance, ¥1,500 at the venue. Free for under-12s, and free entry for everyone after 15:00. (Organiser's figures, as of 16 August 2026.)
OfficialPast event© DimiTalen · CC0A biennial festival in the ancient capital, founded under Cannes-winning director Naomi Kawase, championing first- and second-time filmmakers across screenings set among Nara's temples and parks.
Sun, Sep 20, 2026 10:00 JST NaraScreening tickets typically around 1,000-1,500 yen; some free outdoor and community programs.
OfficialPast event© Marine-Blue · CC BY-SA 3.0A 380-year-old shrine festival blending Japanese, Chinese and Dutch flair — spinning dragon dances, whirling umbrella floats and roaring 'Motte-koi' chants.
Wed, Oct 7, 2026 07:00 JST FukuokaFree
OfficialPast event© Comyu · CC BY-SA 3.0Japan's premier tech expo, where AI, robotics, mobility and IoT from hundreds of companies and startups go hands-on under one roof.
Tue, Oct 13, 2026 10:00 JST TokyoFree
OfficialPast event© Base64 · CC BY-SA 3.0The 72nd Nagoya Festival is on Oct 17 (Sat) and 18 (Sun), 2026, centered on Hisaya-odori Park, free. There is no Three Heroes parade in 2026; the parade floats, karakuri puppets and kagura are shown in the park instead. Checked 2026-10-14.
Sat, Oct 17, 2026 11:00 JST NagoyaFree
OfficialPast event© Corpse Reviver · CC BY-SA 3.0Jidai Matsuri 2026 is Thursday, October 22: about 2,000 people in period costume leave the Kyoto Imperial Palace at noon and reach Heian Jingu around 14:30. Free from the roadside; paid seats from ¥5,000. Rain date: Oct 23.
Thu, Oct 22, 2026 12:00 JST KyotoFree
OfficialPast event© Dick Thomas Johnson from Tokyo, Japan · CC BY 2.0Asia's premier competitive film festival returns for its 39th edition, taking over the Hibiya–Yurakucho–Ginza district with world premieres, red carpets and onstage Q&As with directors and stars.
Mon, Oct 26, 2026 10:00 JST TokyoIndividual screening tickets typically around 1,500-2,000 yen; some open-air and free programs.
OfficialPast event© Nicolas1981 · CC BY-SA 3.0Roppongi Art Night 2026 runs all night from 17:00 on Oct 31 to 6:00 on Nov 1 — the first all-nighter in three years. Free entry (some programs paid) across Roppongi Hills, Tokyo Midtown and the National Art Center; RAN Focus features France (checked 2026-10-14).
Sat, Oct 31, 2026 10:00 JST TokyoFree