What's on in Tokyo
71 events in November 2026: 18 exhibitions, 14 gardens, 11 markets, 11 illuminations, 9 performances, 6 festivals and 2 food events, from headline festivals to neighbourhood fairs. 4 of them are annual events whose 2026 dates are still to be confirmed, listed with their usual window.
Koyo season. Ginkgo avenues turn gold around the middle of the month, maples peak in the third week, and the major gardens run evening illuminations. Tori-no-ichi rake fairs mark the run-up to year end. More on the season in Tokyo in autumn.
Kabukiza Theatre, Ginza
2 Aug - 8 Nov
Japan's traditional theater art form established 400 years ago. Monthly performances at Kabukiza with elaborate costumes, storytelling, and live music. Translation tablets available for international audiences.
Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine, Koto
15 Aug - 8 Nov
Shrine antique fair held on the 15th and 28th of each month with 50-80 stalls selling Imari porcelain, vintage toys, old kimonos, and rare books. Historic shrine founded in 1627 and associated with sumo throughout Edo period.
Oi Racecourse, Shinagawa
24 Aug - 22 Nov
Tokyo's largest regular flea market with up to 700 stalls offering second-hand clothing, furniture, vintage toys, manga, and household items. Free entry, rain or shine, held most Saturdays and Sundays.
Multiple venues across Tokyo, Various
1 Sept - 3 Nov
International performing arts festival presenting 100 different works selected from open-call entries, including the Performing Arts Base free showcase presented by Tokyo International Forum. Contemporary performances spanning theater, dance, and experimental work.
Multiple venues throughout Tokyo, Various
1 Sept - 3 Nov
Urban performing arts festival featuring 100 works selected from open-call entries, the international performing arts festival 'Autumn Meteorite 2026 Tokyo', and free showcase performances at Tokyo International Forum.
Multiple venues throughout Tokyo, Citywide
1 Sept - 3 Nov
An urban performing arts festival featuring Autumn Meteorite 2026 Tokyo with 100 different works selected from open-call entries and free Performing Arts Base showcases at Tokyo International Forum.
Tokyo National Museum, Ueno
1 Sept - 15 Nov
World-class museum hosting rotating exhibitions of Japanese art, archaeology, and cultural treasures. Autumn exhibitions showcase paintings, sculptures, and decorative arts with historical context against Ueno Park's autumn foliage backdrop.
Oi Racecourse Parking Area, Shinagawa
1 Sept - 29 Nov
Tokyo's largest regular flea market with up to 700 stalls most weekends. Second-hand clothing, furniture, household appliances, vintage toys, manga and collectibles. Prices start from ¥100. Car boot sale atmosphere with diverse inventory.
Various Tokyo museums, Various
1 Sept - 30 Nov
Exhibition centered on Rembrandt's remarkable etchings bringing together prints, books, and archival materials from museums, university libraries, and private collections in Japan and abroad. Explores the artist's technical mastery of the etching medium.
Cerulean Tower Noh Theatre, Shibuya
1 Sept - 30 Nov
Intimate noh theater featuring the highly sophisticated mask play tradition with long history. Regular performances of this classical Japanese performing art in an elegant contemporary venue.
Nezu Shrine, Bunkyo
5 Sept - 8 Nov
Shrine antique fair held roughly twice monthly with vendors selling traditional Japanese items. Regular market taking place on various dates throughout the year with casual browsing atmosphere.
Nezu Shrine, Nezu
5 Sept - 6 Dec
A shrine market held roughly twice monthly featuring artisan goods, antiques and crafts. One of Tokyo's authentic neighborhood shopping experiences with deep historical roots.
Mori Art Museum, Roppongi
5 Sept - 13 Dec
A contemporary art retrospective at Tokyo's premier museum featuring carefully curated works exploring themes in modern and contemporary practice across multiple mediums.
Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, Koto
5 Sept - 13 Dec
Rare large-scale introduction to modern Taiwanese art with approximately 200 Taiwanese artworks and 100 Japanese contemporaneous pieces plus over 500 archival documents. Organized in six thematic chapters featuring paintings, sculptures, prints, and photographs.
Hanazono Shrine, Shinjuku
6 Sept - 6 Dec
A weekly open-air antique market with 25-30 stalls in a Shinjuku shrine with Edo-period roots. Vendors spread ceramics, lacquerware, vintage kimonos and pre-war ephemera across the courtyard.
National Noh Theatre, Sendagaya
7 Sept - 6 Dec
Highly sophisticated classical mask plays featuring traditional music and movements passed down for centuries. The National Noh Theatre offers regular performances with English support.
National Art Center, Tokyo, Roppongi
9 Sept - 13 Dec
Major international touring exhibition bringing Renaissance masterpieces on loan from Paris. Spans September to December with extensive collection of important artworks from one of Europe's greatest museums.
The National Art Center, Tokyo, Roppongi
9 Sept - 13 Dec
Special exhibition featuring contemporary art including works from the Young British Artists movement and other international contemporary pieces. Japan's only national art museum without permanent collection, hosting rotating exhibitions throughout the year.
The National Art Center, Tokyo, Roppongi
9 Sept - 13 Dec
Major international exhibition showcasing Renaissance masterpieces on loan from Paris's Musée du Louvre. Works spanning Italian and Northern European schools displayed in one of Tokyo's premier art venues. Part of the museum's 2026 special exhibition series.
National Art Center, Tokyo, Roppongi
9 Sept - 13 Dec
A special exhibition examining modern Western art movements through roughly 200 Taiwanese and Japanese works from major institutions, exploring shared creative dialogue in Asian modernism.
The National Art Center, Tokyo, Roppongi
9 Sept - 13 Dec
Major international touring exhibition featuring artistic masterpieces from the Louvre, organized into four thematic sections covering travel, technical innovation, classical revival, and portraiture. A rare window into how the world's most famous art institution documents transformative artistic movements.
Tennozu Isle and surrounding areas, Shibuya
13 Sept - 27 Dec
Regular vintage and antique market held on select Sundays throughout the season, featuring clothing, accessories, vintage goods, and curated antique finds from dealers and collectors.
Shinjuku Central Park, Shinjuku
19 Sept - 6 Dec
An amateur-only flea market with nearly 200 stalls offering retro vibes and vintage finds, especially clothing and traditional apparel. Located behind the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Buildings.
Ota Memorial Museum of Art, Minato
19 Sept - 6 Dec
Exhibition of over 300 objects from a two-century-old Tokyo washi paper maker, featuring Meiji through early Showa era creations. Displays include chiyogami paper by renowned artists such as Kawanabe Kyōsai and Kawase Hasui, alongside fan designs and decorative envelopes.
Oi Racecourse Grounds, Shinagawa
1 Oct - 30 Nov
Major light art display themed around past, present and future. Visitors experience time travel through Edo, Meiji, Taisho and Showa period light displays. Held evenings on non-racing days October through March. Interactive experiences with photo opportunities.
Hibiya Park, Hibiya
15 Oct - 15 Nov
A long-running chrysanthemum display held since 1914 featuring over 2,000 flowers with seedling sales and seminars on cultivation techniques. Traditional autumn flower celebration in central Tokyo.
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, Shinjuku
15 Oct - 5 Dec
One of Tokyo's premier autumn gardens featuring 700+ maple and zelkova trees across three garden styles (French, English, Japanese). Peak viewing mid-November to early December with simultaneous rose blooms creating a rare dual-season display.
Yushima Tenjin Garden, Yushima
20 Oct - 20 Nov
Japan's leading chrysanthemum display held since 1915 with around 1,000 exhibitions showcasing ogiku, edogiku, bonsai and cascading styles. Features cultivation lectures and seedling sales.
Yomiuriland, Inagi
22 Oct - 4 Apr (dates to be confirmed)
Amusement park illumination of over 6 million jewel-toned LEDs designed by lighting designer Motoko Ishii, with a fountain show set to music. Runs deep into spring, and the gondola ride up from Keio Yomiuriland Station passes over the lights.
Tokyo Metropolitan Culture Hall (Hibiya Park venue), Hibiya
23 Oct - 8 Nov
Long-running exhibition since 1915 featuring over 1,000 chrysanthemum blooms in various forms including ogiku, edogiku and domed styles. Includes bonsai arrangements and cultivation seminars. Traditional autumn flower celebration.
Komazawa Olympic Park Central Plaza, Komazawa
23 Oct - 3 Nov (dates to be confirmed)
Around 40 of Japan's top ramen shops set up in Komazawa Olympic Park in three rotating four-day line-ups, so the stalls change completely twice during the run. Park entry is free and every full bowl costs a flat ¥1,100 ticket.
Yasukuni-dori, Jimbocho book district, Jimbocho
24 Oct - 3 Nov (dates to be confirmed)
The world's largest secondhand-book district puts roughly a million volumes out on the street, with a kilometre of stalls lining Yasukuni-dori beside the 130-plus permanent bookshops. Old maps, ukiyo-e prints, and out-of-print photo books turn up alongside 100-yen bargain carts.
Hibiya, Ginza, multiple venues, Various
26 Oct - 4 Nov
One of Asia's largest film festivals bringing international premieres, Japanese films, and special showcases. Screenings across multiple venues with red carpet events, public talks, and industry gatherings throughout the city.
National Art Center, Tokyo, Roppongi
28 Oct - 8 Feb
Major exhibition celebrating pioneering female manga artists and their influence on shojo (girls') manga genre. Comprehensive retrospective featuring original works, manuscripts, and cultural impact of these influential creators.
National Art Center Tokyo, Roppongi
28 Oct - 8 Feb
Major retrospective celebrating three giants of shojo manga: Moto Hagio, Ryoko Yamagishi, and Waki Yamato. First comprehensive exhibition of their pivotal contributions to manga art.
The National Art Center, Tokyo, Roppongi
28 Oct - 8 Feb
Special exhibition dedicated to pioneering female manga artists who revolutionized the shojo manga genre. Explores the creative legacies of three influential artists through original manuscripts, artwork, and cultural impact.
Shops and galleries across Omotesando, Gaienmae, Shibuya, Roppongi, and Ginza, Omotesando
30 Oct - 8 Nov
Japan's largest design and art festival marks its 10th edition, scattering furniture, product, and installation exhibits through boutiques, showrooms, and galleries across central Tokyo. Most venues are free, and the 2026 theme is Hibiki (resonance).
Tokyo Midtown, National Art Center, Roppongi Hills, Roppongi
31 Oct - 1 Nov
All-night art festival centered on the Roppongi Art Triangle featuring installation art, live art performances, video projections, and contemporary works. Multi-venue event spanning museums, streets, and public spaces with open call artist opportunities.
Hamarikyu Gardens, Shiodome
31 Oct - 1 Nov
Tokyo's biggest public tea gathering sets up outdoor nodate seats and tatami tea rooms across a former shogunal garden on the bay, with sessions held in English for first-timers. Tea tickets are a few hundred yen on top of garden admission.
Meiji Shrine, Shibuya
1 Nov - 3
Major festival honoring Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken with three days of traditional performances including Noh, kyogen theater, bugaku court dances, and yabusame horseback archery. The yabusame on November 3 is a major highlight.
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, Shinjuku
1 Nov - 15
Historic exhibition dating to 1929 displaying specially arranged chrysanthemum flowerbeds in traditional styles. Temporary wooden pavilions (uwaya) shelters showcase various chrysanthemum varieties cultivated since 1904, representing imperial tradition.
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, Shinjuku
1 Nov - 15
Annual imperial tradition of chrysanthemum appreciation featuring specially constructed pavilions called uwaya showcasing hundreds of carefully cultivated chrysanthemums. The exhibition runs for two weeks celebrating the flower's significance as a symbol of longevity and honor.
Yushima Tenjin Temple, Bunkyo
1 Nov - 23
Long-running festival displaying around 2,000 chrysanthemums including rare cultivars and the famous Tomoe Nishiki depicted in Hokusai paintings. Features dioramas of figures dressed in clothes crafted entirely from chrysanthemums.
Tokyo Midtown Garden, Roppongi
1 Nov - 30
Fusion of city lights and nature with softly illuminated ginkgo and maple trees alongside modern art installations. Creates romantic atmosphere for evening strolls combining natural beauty with contemporary design.
Meiji Jingu Shrine, Shibuya
1 Nov - 30
Major November festival at Tokyo's most famous shrine featuring traditional Bugaku court dances and Noh performances on an outdoor stage set among towering trees. Cultural celebration honoring the anniversary of Emperor Meiji's birth.
Rikugien Garden, Komagome
1 Nov - 6 Dec
An Edo-era garden glowing at night with maple trees reflected in tranquil ponds. One of Tokyo's most romantic autumn scenes with illuminations from 6pm during peak foliage.
Meiji Jingu Gaien, Aoyama
1 Nov - 10 Dec
Celebration of 146 golden ginkgo trees lining the 300-meter 'Golden Avenue'. Features food stalls, craft markets, and weekend illuminations bathing the golden corridor in warm light after sunset.
Tokyo Midtown, Roppongi
1 Nov - 23 Feb
Holiday illumination event featuring the Midtown Garden with illuminated walkway of light and 3-minute light-and-music show. Paid ice rink runs through February 23, 2026.
Marunouchi area, Marunouchi
1 Nov - 28 Feb
Over 1.2 million champagne-gold LEDs lining 200 zelkova trees along the boulevard. One of Tokyo's most popular seasonal illuminations featuring elegant European-avenue styling.
Sensoji Temple, Asakusa
3 Nov
Spectacular white heron dance performed at Sensoji Temple in November coinciding with Japan's Culture Day holiday. Traditional ceremonial dance featuring graceful movements. Often draws larger crowds than spring performance.
Otori Shrine, Asakusa
4 Nov - 28
A traditional festival to pray for business prosperity held on rooster days at Asakusa's Otori Shrine. Vendors sell elaborately decorated kumade (ornamental rakes) symbolizing gathering good fortune.
Roppongi Hills, Roppongi
4 Nov - 25 Dec
Signature seasonal illumination with over 800,000 blue and white LEDs creating a breathtaking light tunnel on Keyakizaka Street. Complementary Christmas market with European-style treats and gifts, free entry.
55 museums and galleries across Tokyo, Tokyo-wide
4 Nov - 8
Five days of coordinated openings at a record 55 contemporary art venues, from major museums to small commercial galleries, linked by a free hop-on AWT Bus circuit. Organised with Art Basel, it is the easiest week of the year to see Tokyo's gallery scene.
Hanazono Shrine, Shinjuku
6 Nov - 7
One of top three Tori-no-Ichi festivals in Kanto region with over 600,000 visitors. Vendors sell ornamental kumade rakes for luck and business prosperity. Hanazono Shrine's famous sideshows perform traditional Japanese culture experiences.
Otori Shrine and Chokoku-ji Temple, Asakusa
7 Nov
Traditional November festival where hundreds of stalls sell elaborately decorated kumade bamboo rakes believed to bring good luck and business prosperity. Runs midnight to midnight with lively atmosphere, food stalls, and over 800,000 visitors across November dates.
Otori Shrine and Juzaisan Chokoku-ji Temple, Asakusa
7 Nov
Traditional fair celebrating good luck and business prosperity held from midnight to midnight on rooster days. Vendors sell elaborately decorated kumade bamboo rakes adorned with gold coins and masks. Lantern-lit atmosphere with food stalls and taiko drumming.
Hanazono Shrine, Shinjuku
7 Nov
Shinjuku venue for the traditional Tori-no-Ichi festival. Vendors sell lucky kumade rakes and traditional sideshows perform. Evening celebrations lit with paper lanterns creating authentic Edo atmosphere.
Otori Shrine and Chokoku-ji Temple, Asakusa
7 Nov
Ancient November rooster market running midnight to midnight, featuring elaborately decorated kumade bamboo rakes believed to rake in good fortune and prosperity. Continuous 24-hour festival with food stalls, lively vendors, and hand-clapping celebrations after rake sales.
Ohtori Jinja Shrine and Chokoku-ji Temple, Asakusa
7 Nov - 19
Traditional rooster festival held on November rooster days (7th and 19th) featuring ornate kumade rakes symbolizing good fortune and prosperity. Visitors purchase decorated rakes and pray for successful business and good fortune in the coming year.
Otori Shrine and Chokoku-ji Temple, Asakusa
7 Nov - 19
Traditional festival for business luck and prosperity where merchants gather to purchase decorated kumade (bamboo rakes) adorned with charms. Held on 'Days of the Rooster' throughout November.
Yebisu Garden Place, Ebisu
7 Nov - 11 Jan (dates to be confirmed)
A five-metre Baccarat crystal chandelier with 250 lights and 8,472 crystal parts glows in the open plaza at Yebisu Garden Place, alongside tree illuminations and a small Christmas market. Lit daily from 11am to 11pm.
Marunouchi Street, Marunouchi
13 Nov - 15 Feb
Over a million lights illuminate Nakadori Avenue from November 13 through February 15. Street park with market and musical performances featuring December midnight extension, 1.2-kilometer stretch from Tokyo Station area.
Nakadori Avenue and Gyōkō-dōri Avenue, Marunouchi
13 Nov - 15 Feb
Over 800,000 fairy lights strung along 1.2 kilometers of trees in Tokyo's financial district. The 24-year-old illumination runs nightly with lights until 11 p.m. in January, extending to midnight in December, creating an enchanting winter atmosphere through mid-February.
Hachioji city, Hachioji
15 Nov - 22
Celebrates transformation of 770 ginkgo trees along a 4-kilometer stretch of Koshu Kaido road into brilliant gold. Community-rooted, highly interactive event creating a beautiful golden fantastical world under Tokyo's autumn trees.
Meiji Jingu Gaien (Ichō Namiki Avenue), Aoyama
15 Nov - 1 Dec
146 ginkgo trees line a 300-meter avenue turning brilliant yellow in late autumn. Free daytime viewing mid-November to early December. Evening illuminations November 23-30, 4:30-7:30 pm create golden tunnel effect. Approximately 30 food stalls during the season.
Meiji Jingu Outer Garden, Shinjuku
15 Nov - 1 Dec
Celebration of 146 golden ginkgo trees lining a 300-meter avenue planted in 1923. The festival features food stalls, craft booths, street performers, and evening illuminations casting the brilliant yellow foliage in soft light, creating a spectacular autumn spectacle.
Rikugien Garden, Bunkyo
15 Nov - 6 Dec
Nighttime illumination of autumn foliage in one of Tokyo's most famous gardens. Red and golden leaves are lit by green and white light creating a unique nighttime view.
Otaguro Park, Ogikubo
15 Nov - 6 Dec
100-year-old ginkgo, zelkova, and maple trees illuminated at night. The illumination presentation changes yearly, with the main draw being tree reflections on the park's pond.
Meiji Jingu Gaien (Meiji Shrine Outer Gardens), Aoyama
15 Nov - 6 Dec
A celebration of the iconic golden ginkgo tree avenue with 300 glowing trees, featuring food stalls, live performances and craft markets during peak autumn foliage season.
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, Shinjuku
18 Nov - 24
Held in the historic greenhouse where Western orchid cultivation began in Japan. Features works by orchid enthusiasts alongside specimens cultivated at the garden. An exhibition combining horticultural expertise with artistic arrangement.
Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Ueno
18 Nov - 8 Jan
Exhibition exploring modern and contemporary thread, needle, and fabric creations from the Tokyo Metropolitan Collection. Features works ranging from traditional embroidery techniques to contemporary fiber art installations.
Tokyo International Forum, Yurakucho
1st and 3rd Sundays of the month (dates occasionally shift, no August edition)
Japan's largest outdoor antique market, held on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month with 250 or so dealers selling old kimono, ceramics, woodblock prints, and retro homeware. Dates occasionally shift and there is usually no August edition, so check the official schedule before going.
Hanazono Shrine, Shinjuku
Almost every Sunday, roughly 6:30am to 3pm, except festival days and rain
Small, atmospheric antique market held almost every Sunday from early morning in the grounds of Shinjuku's Hanazono Shrine, with 25 to 40 stalls of old ceramics, kimono, coins, and curios. Skipped on festival weekends and in bad weather, so go early and have a backup plan.
Yasukuni Shrine outer approach, Kudanshita
Sundays, sunrise to sunset, weather permitting
A modest Sunday antique market along the tree-lined outer approach to Yasukuni Shrine, with 10 to 20 dealers selling pottery, old tools, and militaria from sunrise to sunset. Small enough to browse in half an hour on the way to the shrine or nearby Chidorigafuchi.
Koganji Temple and Jizo-dori Shopping Street, Sugamo
4th, 14th, and 24th of every month
Temple fair days at Koganji, home of the healing Togenuki Jizo, held on the 4th, 14th, and 24th of every month when food and trinket stalls line Jizo-dori shopping street. Nicknamed the Harajuku for grandmas, it is one of Tokyo's most charming old-school street scenes.
Kishimojin Temple, Zoshigaya
3rd Sunday of the month, 10am to 4pm (check the schedule, some months move or skip)
Craft market held on the third Sunday of most months in the cedar-shaded grounds of Kishimojin Temple, where up to 200 makers may only sell things they made themselves. One of the best places in Tokyo to buy ceramics, leather goods, and prints directly from the artists.
Takahata Fudoson Kongoji Temple, Hino
3rd Sunday of the month, 8am to 4pm
Around 120 dealers fill the grounds of this major Kanto temple on the third Sunday of every month, selling old kimono, clocks, toys, and farmhouse finds. The name Gozare roughly means anything goes as long as it is old, and prices run cheaper than central Tokyo markets.
United Nations University plaza, Aoyama
Every Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 4pm
Tokyo's best-known farmers market runs every Saturday and Sunday on the plaza in front of the United Nations University, with around 50 stalls of produce, honey, coffee, and baked goods from farms across Japan. An easy, food-truck-fuelled stop between Shibuya and Omotesando.
Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine, Fukagawa
Antique market on 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th Sundays; flea market on the 15th and 28th of every month
This Edo-era shrine in old-town Fukagawa runs an antique market on most Sundays plus a bigger flea market on the 15th and 28th of each month, with dealers in Imari porcelain, old kimono, and vintage toys. Markets pause in January and are cancelled in rain.
Oi Racecourse, Shinagawa
Most Saturdays and Sundays (skips race days, check the calendar)
Tokyo's biggest regular flea market takes over the Oi Racecourse parking area most Saturdays and Sundays, with 300 to 600 stalls of secondhand clothes, household goods, toys, and the occasional genuine antique. Pure local bargain-hunting rather than a curated antiques fair.
Ark Hills, Ark Karajan Place, Akasaka
Every Saturday, 10am to 2pm
One of Tokyo's longest-running weekly marches, held every Saturday morning at Ark Hills since 2009 with farmers and small producers selling vegetables, bread, and prepared food. A relaxed local scene ten minutes from Roppongi.
Ark Hills, Ark Karajan Place, Akasaka
4th Sunday of the month (2nd Sunday in December), 11am to 5pm
Around 70 vendors of antiques, vintage jewellery, art, and old kimono fill the plaza at Ark Hills on the fourth Sunday of each month, moving to the second Sunday in December. More polished and design-minded than the shrine markets, with food stalls alongside.
Tokyo Ryutsu Center, Heiwajima
About five times a year over three days, typically March, May, July or September, and December (Sep 13-15 and Dec 6-8 in 2026)
Japan's biggest indoor antiques fair, held about five times a year over three days with nearly 300 dealers from across the country under one roof. Because it is indoors it runs rain or shine, making it the safest bet of Tokyo's big antique events.
71 events are listed for November 2026: 18 exhibitions, 14 gardens, 11 markets, 11 illuminations, 9 performances, 6 festivals and 2 food events. 67 have confirmed dates and 4 are annual events whose exact 2026 dates are still to be announced, shown with their usual window. Every listing links to the interactive map.
Koyo season. Ginkgo avenues turn gold around the middle of the month, maples peak in the third week, and the major gardens run evening illuminations. Tori-no-ichi rake fairs mark the run-up to year end.
Near-term events are refreshed every week as organisers announce dates, and finished events drop off automatically. Annual events further out carry their typical dates until the official ones are published.