10 things to do in Japan this September and October

This boisterous, centuries-old celebration centres on majestic danjiri floats – massive wooden vessels weighing as much as four tons, adorned with intricate carvings depicting historical battle scenes and local folklore. The colossi are hauled down the streets at high speed using pure manpower, accompanied by energetic drumbeats.

Sep 18–20 and Oct 10–11

After wowing the world at Expo 2025 in Osaka, media artist Yoichi Ochiai’s striking installation of vibrating and warping mirrors and kaleidoscopic AI-generated visuals lands in Yokohama in the form of a permanent immersive theatre. Use the dedicated ‘Mirrored Body Lite’ app to make a digital avatar of yourself appear within the installation.

Opens Oct 14

Gear up for 11 days of LOL as the Tokyo International Comedy Festival returns with a programme featuring shows by a star-studded cast of comedians, plus international roast battles, stand-up contests, bilingual improv and much more. With shows in both English and Japanese, this comedy extravaganza is for everyone in Tokyo.

Sep 17–27

The entire 1,000-year history of Kyoto gets condensed into a single afternoon in this annual parade, one of the city’s ‘three great festivals’, in which some 2,000 participants dressed in historically accurate garb march from the Imperial Palace to Heian Shrine. Booking a paid seat is highly recommended.

Oct 22

Time Out Market Osaka keeps on evolving. Bringing together some of the Kansai region’s most celebrated chefs and restaurateurs in a stylish basement space just steps away from Osaka Station, the food and cultural market has welcomed six new kitchens over the past few months. Psst: beer is half off on Mondays.

Beneath the fantastical surfaces of Studio Ghibli’s beloved anime films, there lie emotional nuance, moral ambiguity and contemplative pacing – features that resonate strikingly with the philosophical principles of Zen. ‘Zen and Ghibli’ explores this unexpected yet deeply rooted connection through Zen’s emphasis on presence and perception.

Oct 3–Dec 6

Street culture impresario Verdy hosts one of Tokyo’s wildest Halloween parties every year. Harajuku Horror Night pulls in the city’s most dressed-up crowd – people show up looking ready to kill, maybe literally – and a line-up that mixes major names with Verdy’s friends across music, fashion and nightlife.

Inspired by Zao Onsen’s renowned crater lake, this brand new resort makes use of the region’s high-acidity hot spring water throughout its circular wellness zone – a unique design that lets guests move seamlessly between the baths, saunas and jacuzzis. The rooftop terrace offers stunning 360-degree views of the surrounding mountains.

As one of Tokyo’s leading contemporary art galleries, Nanzuka reimagines the gallery experience through an open and welcoming environment. Its new flagship in the heart of Shibuya features a logo by the legendary Keiichi Tanaami and is opening with ‘Do Not Bomb’, a solo exhibition exploring Tanaami’s memories of war through works spanning the 1960s to previously unreleased pieces created in 2024.

Opens Sep 12

Nagoya and Aichi prefecture are gearing up to host the Asian Games, welcoming around 15,000 athletes from 45 nations to compete across numerous venues. This is the third time Japan has hosted the Games, following Tokyo and Hiroshima. Sports include baseball, cricket, field hockey, taekwondo, wrestling, skateboarding and surfing. Additionally, at Hisaya-Odori Park in Nagoya, One Asia World will bring together medalist celebrations, sports public viewings, food, music and culture from across Asia, with free admission.

Sep 19–Oct 4