Tokyo Game Show 2026 goes five days for its 30th anniversary. Full guide to dates, ticket prices, confirmed games, cosplay rules and how to survive Makuhari.
Chiba · 19–21 Sep 2026
More than 300 original artworks and sketches from both of Arakawa Hiromu's major series, at Matsuya Ginza from 13 August to 2 September.
Tokyo · 13 Aug – 2 Sep 2026
A three-floor aquarium inside a Sapporo shopping complex, open until ten at night, with rockhopper penguins, planted tanks, and immersive digital art.
Sapporo
An annual summer classical music festival in Matsumoto founded by Seiji Ozawa, centred on the international Saito Kinen Orchestra, with a strong focus on music education.
Matsumoto · 16 Aug – 2 Sep 2026
05:1218:11Tokyo
Reference rates · 2026/08/28
An autumn festival at Yamashiro Onsen features a parade with a large lion and traditional Urayasu Dance of gratitude performed at Hatori Shrine for the harvest.
1 Sep 2026Ishikawa · ChubuMore than 300 original artworks and sketches from both of Arakawa Hiromu's major series, at Matsuya Ginza from 13 August to 2 September.
13 Aug – 2 Sep 2026Tokyo · KantoAn annual summer classical music festival in Matsumoto founded by Seiji Ozawa, centred on the international Saito Kinen Orchestra, with a strong focus on music education.
16 Aug – 2 Sep 2026Nagano · ChubuThis traditional harvest festival features processions of lantern-lit dancers in matching happi coats moving through Yatsuo to shamisen and kokyū music for three September days.
1–3 Sep 2026Toyama · ChubuThe Sado Island Endurance Challenge draws competitors from around the world for a 210-kilometre bike course circling the entire island alongside running events.
6 Sep 2026Niigata · ChubuUltra Acosta! 2026 is the fifth edition of this expanded cosplay event at Sunshine City Ikebukuro, drawing 20,000 visitors for photography sessions and social interactions.
4–6 Sep 2026Tokyo · KantoOpened in 2005 on the site of an Edo-period magistrate's office, this museum explores Nagasaki's distinctive history as Japan's historical gateway to overseas exchange.
NagasakiJapan's first national museum dedicated to Ainu culture and the core facility of Upopoy, promoting understanding of this Indigenous heritage.
Shiraoi · HokkaidoA gorge on the Tomoe River at Asuke in Aichi, planted with momiji maples in the 17th century and now one of the best known places in Japan for autumn colour.
Toyota · AichiAn outdoor dinosaur park in the woods at Katsuyama in Fukui, three minutes from the prefectural dinosaur museum, with more than sixty life-sized models.
Katsuyama · FukuiA hilltop park above the five lakes of Mikata in Fukui, reached by lift or cable car, with terraces looking over the lakes and Wakasa Bay.
Mihama · FukuiA kilometre of columnar cliffs on the Fukui coast, formed in a rock that produces this shape in only a few places in the world.
Sakai · FukuiA million and a half people between Tokyo and Yokohama, and almost nobody stops. What is actually in Kawasaki, and why it is worth getting off the train for.
2026/08/04BLEACH Mirrors High just revealed three new Kubo-designed Soul Reapers and a full system trailer. Here's the story, cast, and battle system, explained.
The English guide to Kobito Zukan: what kobito are, the most popular characters from Nabata Toshitaka's field guides, and where to find kobito goods in Japan.
Pandorobo, The Bread Thief, in English: the story of Japan’s beloved bread-stealing character, the picture books, the anime, and Pandorobo merchandise.
2026 is anime's most stacked year ever. Your season-by-season guide to every major release, streaming options, and Japan-only perks.
Explore the chilling world of J-horror this Halloween - from Ringu to Tetsuo, uncover Japan’s most haunting films that blend dread, folklore, and psychological terror.
