OfficialUpcomingD.T. Suzuki Museum
A serene Yoshio Taniguchi pavilion honoring Zen philosopher D.T. Suzuki, built around a still 'Water Mirror Garden' for contemplation.
2026/08/15 09:30 KanazawaAdult ~¥310
© 金沢市 · CC BY 2.1 jpWhen
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City
OfficialUpcoming
OfficialUpcomingNagoya City Art Museum
A Kisho Kurokawa building tucked into Shirakawa Park, strong on the Ecole de Paris, the Mexican Renaissance and local modern art.
2026/08/15 09:30 NagoyaCollection ~¥300; special exhibitions vary
© そらみみ · CC BY-SA 4.0
OfficialUpcomingFukuoka Art Museum
A lakeside museum in Ohori Park by architect Kunio Maekawa, mixing Dali and Warhol with Buddhist treasures across 16,000+ works.
2026/08/15 09:30 FukuokaCollection ~¥200; special exhibitions vary
© DrHughManning · CC BY-SA 4.0
OfficialUpcomingYokohama Museum of Art
A Kenzo Tange landmark in Minato Mirai, freshly reopened after a three-year renovation, strong on modern art and Yokohama-rooted photography.
2026/08/15 10:00 YokohamaCollection admission modest; special exhibitions vary
© Ymblanter · CC BY-SA 4.0
OfficialUpcomingThe National Museum of Art, Osaka
A striking subterranean museum on Nakanoshima island devoted to postwar and contemporary art, behind a soaring bamboo-like steel facade.
2026/08/15 11:00 OsakaCollection exhibition ~¥430; special exhibitions vary
© Konrad Krzyżanowski · Public domain
OfficialUpcomingHokkaido Museum of Modern Art
Central Sapporo's flagship art museum, with 5,000+ works spanning Hokkaido art, the Ecole de Paris, glasswork and modern Japanese painting.
2026/08/16 09:30 SapporoCollection admission modest; special exhibitions vary
© K. Takeda at Japanese Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
OfficialUpcomingHiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art
Japan's first public contemporary art museum, a Kisho Kurokawa landmark crowning Hijiyama hill with bold rotating exhibitions.
2026/08/16 10:00 HiroshimaCollection ~¥370; special exhibitions vary
© Taisyo at Japanese Wikipedia · CC BY 3.0
OfficialUpcomingFukuoka Asian Art Museum
The only museum in the world systematically collecting modern and contemporary Asian art — 5,000+ works from 23 Asian countries and regions.
2026/08/22 09:30 FukuokaCollection admission modest; special exhibitions vary
© Hirho · CC BY-SA 4.0
OfficialUpcomingComitia 157 (2026): Date, Venue & Entry
Comitia 157 — Japan's biggest original-manga fair — is Sun 23 Aug 2026 at Tokyo Big Sight West 1–4. Catalog is your entry (~¥1,500), free after 15:00. Date, access, tips.
2026/08/23 11:00 TokyoAround ¥1,500 (the catalog doubles as entry); free entry after 15:00.
© Volfgang · CC BY-SA 3.0
OfficialUpcomingNara International Film Festival 2026
A 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.
2026/09/20 10:00 NaraScreening tickets typically around 1,000-1,500 yen; some free outdoor and community programs.
© DimiTalen · CC0
OfficialUpcomingNagasaki Kunchi Festival
A 380-year-old shrine festival blending Japanese, Chinese and Dutch flair — spinning dragon dances, whirling umbrella floats and roaring 'Motte-koi' chants.
2026/10/07 07:00 FukuokaFree
© Marine-Blue · CC BY-SA 3.0
OfficialUpcomingNagoya Festival (Three Heroes Parade)
Nagoya's biggest autumn party crowns Oda Nobunaga, Hideyoshi and Ieyasu in armor, leading a 600-strong procession from the station to Nagoya Castle.
2026/10/10 10:00 NagoyaFree
© Base64 · CC BY-SA 3.0
OfficialUpcomingCEATEC 2026
Japan's premier tech expo, where AI, robotics, mobility and IoT from hundreds of companies and startups go hands-on under one roof.
2026/10/13 10:00 TokyoFree
© Comyu · CC BY-SA 3.0
OfficialUpcomingJidai Matsuri (Festival of the Ages)
A 2-km parade of 2,000 people in meticulously accurate costumes marches through 1,000 years of Kyoto history, from Heian nobles to Meiji revolutionaries.
2026/10/22 12:00 KyotoFree
© Corpse Reviver · CC BY-SA 3.0
OfficialUpcomingTokyo International Film Festival 2026 (39th TIFF)
Asia'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.
2026/10/26 10:00 TokyoIndividual screening tickets typically around 1,500-2,000 yen; some open-air and free programs.
© Dick Thomas Johnson from Tokyo, Japan · CC BY 2.0
OfficialUpcomingRoppongi Art Night 2026
An all-night art festival turns Roppongi into an open-air gallery, with installations, performances and museums glowing from dusk till dawn.
2026/10/31 10:00 TokyoFree
© Nicolas1981 · CC BY-SA 3.0
OfficialUpcomingGion Odori — Autumn Geisha Dance of Gion Higashi
Kyoto'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
OfficialUpcomingMidosuji Illumination 2026
Osaka's grand boulevard glows for winter as kilometres of ginkgo trees light up from Umeda to Namba in a record-setting display.
2026/11/03 17:00 OsakaFree
© Type specimen · CC BY-SA 3.0OfficialUpcomingDesign Festa Vol.64
Asia's largest open-submission art fair fills Tokyo Big Sight with thousands of jury-free booths from independent creators of every conceivable medium.
2026/11/14 11:00 TokyoPaid: roughly ¥800–¥1,000 for a one-day pass (children free).
© Volfgang · CC BY-SA 3.0
OfficialUpcomingInter BEE 2026
Japan's largest media, broadcast and pro-AV technology show—cameras, audio, lighting, XR and content tech under one roof.
2026/11/18 10:00 TokyoFree
© Joseph Breck & Sons; New England Agricultural Warehouse; Henry G. Gilbert N · No restrictions
OfficialUpcomingSapporo White Illumination 2026 | Dates, Venue & Tickets
**Sapporo White Illumination 2026 is expected to light up Odori Park from ~late November to December 25, 2026, with the Station-front and other sites glowing into February 2027 (pending the official announcement).** It's **free**, centred on Odori Park a step from **Odori Station**, and the warm, glowing heart of Sapporo's winter.
2026/11/21 16:30 SapporoFree
© Qiuqizhenghong · CC BY-SA 3.0OfficialUpcomingTokyo Comic Con 2026: Dec 11-13 at Makuhari Messe
Tokyo Comic Con 2026 runs Dec 11-13 at Makuhari Messe near Tokyo. Hollywood guest signings, screen-used props and a huge cosplay scene, with paid single- and multi-day passes — verified access and photo/autograph booking tips.
2026/12/11 10:00 TokyoPaid: single-day and multi-day passes (prices vary by year).
© Volfgang · CC BY-SA 3.0
OfficialUpcomingTokyo Auto Salon 2027
Japan's wildest custom-car show, where 300,000 fans crowd in for tuned machines, concept builds and motorsport glamour.
2027/01/15 09:00 TokyoAdvance digital ticket only, around ¥3,000 (weekend day); preschoolers free with an adult.
© Vincent van Gogh · Public domain
OfficialUpcomingNagasaki Lantern Festival 2027 Official Dates: Feb 5–21
Nagasaki Lantern Festival 2027's official dates: Feb 5–21 (17 days), free to view. ~15,000 red Chinese lanterns and giant zodiac lantern objects light central Nagasaki nightly from 17:00–22:00, with a daily dragon dance and parades.
2027/02/05 17:00 Across JapanFree
© Cobalt Fox · Public Domain
OfficialUpcomingArt Fair Tokyo 2027
Japan's leading art fair, spanning antiques to cutting-edge contemporary across 150-plus galleries in the heart of Marunouchi.
2027/03/12 11:00 TokyoPaid admission ticket (around ¥3,000 in recent editions); the day before public opening is an invitation-only preview.
© Dietmar Rabich · CC BY-SA 4.0
OfficialUpcomingTakayama Spring Festival (Sanno Matsuri)
Twelve ornate Edo-era yatai floats with karakuri puppets parade through old Takayama, glowing with around 100 lanterns each at the night festival.
2027/04/14 09:00 NagoyaFree
© z tanuki · CC BY 3.0
OfficialUpcomingKYOTOGRAPHIE 2027: Dates, Venues & Passport Tickets
KYOTOGRAPHIE 2027 (Apr 17–May 16): Kyoto's international photography festival shows world-class work in temples and machiya across the city. Confirmed dates, venues, Passport tickets.
2027/04/17 10:00 KyotoPer-venue tickets or an all-venue Passport; some programs are free.
© Jean-Pierre Dalbéra · CC BY 2.0
OfficialUpcomingKanazawa Hyakumangoku Matsuri 2027
Kanazawa'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.
2027/06/04 09:00 KanazawaFree
© Z3144228 · CC BY-SA 4.0
OfficialPast eventMiyako Odori (Cherry Blossom Dances)
Gion'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 eventMori Art Museum
Contemporary art on the 53rd floor of Roppongi Hills, paired with one of Tokyo's best skyline views from the City View deck.
2026/06/26 10:00 TokyoAdmission around 2,000 yen; often includes the observation deck
© Unknown · CC BY-SA 3.0
connpassPast eventRESEARCH Conference 2026: WEAVING
Japan's conference on design and UX research, themed 'WEAVING,' with sessions, panels and workshops.
2026/06/28 10:00 TokyoFree
© 一般社団法人リサーチアソシエーション · via connpass
OfficialPast eventJapanese Calligraphy (Shodo) Experience in Kyoto
Learn 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.
2026/06/28 11:00 KyotoReserve via the official site for current pricing
© Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.5
OfficialPast eventTokyo National Museum
Japan's oldest and largest museum in Ueno Park, home to samurai armor, Buddhist art and an unrivaled national treasure collection.
2026/06/29 09:00 TokyoRegular collection around 1,000 yen; special exhibits priced separately
© Carla Antonini · CC BY-SA 3.0
OfficialPast eventPottery Wheel Experience at Shunzan Gama
Throw 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.
2026/06/30 10:00 KyotoQuick course about ¥2,000 (20 min); standard course ¥5,000 (30-60 min), plus tax
© Tom Parker · Public domain
OfficialPast event21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa
A circular, glass-walled art museum famous for Leandro Erlich's Swimming Pool — playful, interactive and free to wander outside.
2026/07/02 10:00 KanazawaFree public zones; ticketed exhibition galleries
© City of Kanazawa · CC BY 2.1 jp
OfficialPast eventKanazawa Crafts & Higashi Chaya
Explore Kanazawa's gold-leaf workshops, colorful Kutani porcelain and the preserved Higashi Chaya geisha district.
2026/07/03 10:00 KanazawaFree
© ajari · CC BY 2.0
LumaPast eventSummer Ephemera Pop-up Exhibit, Shop & Workshop
A free pop-up of paper ephemera and collage at Design Festa Gallery Harajuku — browse, shop, make.
2026/07/03 10:30 TokyoFree
© Mira Musette · via Luma
OfficialPast eventHakone Hot Springs & Open-Air Museum
A mountain hot-spring resort near Mt. Fuji, combining steaming onsen, a sculpture park, a pirate-ship lake cruise and ropeway views.
2026/07/04 09:00 Across JapanOnsen and museum entries vary; a Hakone Free Pass saves on transport
© Suicasmo · CC BY-SA 4.0
OfficialPast eventBenesse Art Site Naoshima
An island in the Seto Inland Sea reborn as living art, with Tadao Ando museums, a Yayoi Kusama pumpkin and outdoor installations.
2026/07/05 10:00 Across JapanMuseum tickets vary; Chichu Art Museum needs advance booking
© 663highland · CC BY 2.5
connpassPast eventWhy Greatly Expand Product Designers in the AI Era?
A Timee case-study session on business strategy and design challenges—how product design and designers' roles evolve in the AI era.
2026/07/06 19:00 TokyoFree
© 株式会社タイミー · via connpass
OfficialPast eventDRUM TAO at the Open-Air Theatre TAO-no-Oka
World-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.
2026/07/07 14:00 Across JapanAdults (junior-high+) ¥4,500; children (4+) ¥2,500; under 3 free. Spring/autumn shows at 14:00.
© Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0
OfficialPast eventHandMade In Japan Fes 2026 (Summer)
Japan's largest handmade-craft festival, where about 3,000 creators sell jewelry, ceramics, leather, art and food over one weekend.
2026/07/11 11:00 Tokyo¥1,300 advance / ¥1,500 door (1-day); ¥2,000 advance / ¥2,500 door (2-day); elementary schoolers and younger free.
© Shixart1985 · CC BY 2.0
OfficialPast eventSetouchi Triennale Art Islands
A celebrated contemporary art festival scattered across the islands of the Seto Inland Sea, blending installations with fishing-village life.
2026/07/13 09:00 Across JapanPassport tickets cover many sites; some works charge separately
© 663highland · CC BY 2.5
OfficialPast eventNational Bunraku Theatre
The 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