Tokyo Events in October: Festivals, Fireworks, Halloween

October in Tokyo

October is one of the best times to visit Tokyo. As the autumn chill rolls in, the city comes alive with traditional festivals, open-air art shows, food fairs, and Halloween celebrations.

All month long, you can dive into authentic tea ceremonies, catch thrilling horseback archery, sample seasonal delicacies, watch fireworks light up the crisp night air, and join world-famous cosplay events.

Here are 10 top October events and festivals in Tokyo you won't want to miss.

• Table of Contents
• 1. Tokyo Grand Tea Ceremony 2026 (October 24-25)
• 2. Autumn Ginza: Ginchakai Tea Ceremony and Street Events (October 16 - November 3)
• 3. Kappabashi Kitchenware Festival (October 6 - 12)
• 4. Shimokitazawa Curry Festival (October 8–25)
• 5. Mount Takao Autumn Festival (Late October - mid-December)
• 6. Takadanobaba Yabusame Horseback Archery Event (October 12)
• 7. Yasukuni Shrine Autumn Grand Festival (October 17-19)
• 8. Kagurazaka Bakeneko Cat Halloween Parade (October 11)
• 9. Ikebukuro Halloween Cosplay Festival (October 30 - November 1)
• 10. Tamagawa Fireworks Festival (October 3)

1. Tokyo Grand Tea Ceremony 2026 (October 24-25)

The Tokyo Grand Tea Ceremony is an annual autumn event where visitors can slow down and experience the peaceful traditions of Japanese tea ceremony amid historic architecture and beautiful gardens.

Guests can sit down for a traditional tea gathering, enjoy freshly prepared matcha and Japanese wagashi sweets, and discover the careful gestures, utensils, and spirit of hospitality that are central to tea ceremony culture. English-language tea gatherings are also available, making the experience approachable for international visitors.

With traditional tea, autumn scenery, and two atmospheric settings, it offers a tranquil way to experience Japanese culture in Tokyo.

Tokyo Grand Tea Ceremony 2026
Dates:
- October 24 - 25 at Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum (Google Maps)
- October 31 - November 1 at Hamarikyu Gardens (Google Maps)
Official website: https://tokyo-grand-tea-ceremony.jp/en/index.html

2. Autumn Ginza: Ginchakai Tea Ceremony and Street Events (October 16 - November 3)

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Autumn Ginza is an annual autumn festival that transforms Tokyo’s Ginza district into a lively hub of Japanese culture, art, food, and entertainment.

One of its signature events is Gincha-kai, which brings Japanese tea culture into the streets of Ginza. Outdoor tea gatherings are held around Ginza-dori, giving visitors an opportunity to experience a traditional tea ceremony in the heart of the city.

In 2026, Autumn Ginza will run from October 16 to November 3, with Gincha-kai taking place on October 25. Six schools of Japanese tea ceremony and sencha traditions will host tea gatherings accompanied by original wagashi created by Ginza confectioners.

Beginner-friendly tea ceremony sessions will also be available without advance registration.

Other 2026 highlights include koicha (thick tea) experiences, traditional incense appreciation, and a full-scale student-designed tea room at Ginza Mitsukoshi. The wider festival also includes the Golden Parade, Ginza Hatcho Shrine Tour, gallery events, and special dining experiences throughout the district.

Autumn Ginza 2026
Date: October 16 - November 3, 2026
Location: Ginza Shopping District (Google Maps)
Official website: https://ginchakai.ginza.jp/

3. Kappabashi Kitchenware Festival (October 6 - 12)

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The Kappabashi Dougu Festival, or Kitchenware Festival, is the biggest annual event held along Tokyo’s famous Kappabashi Street, a specialist shopping district packed with stores selling kitchen knives, ceramics, cookware, restaurant supplies, and realistic plastic food samples.

Drawing more than 300,000 visitors each year, the week-long festival brings together around 130 specialist stores, with high-quality Japanese kitchen tools, traditional crafts, and unique finds available at special festival prices.

In 2026, the festival will take place from October 6 to 12. The celebrations peak on October 12, when approximately 850 meters of Kappabashi Dougu Street becomes a pedestrian-only zone.

Food trucks and live entertainment will fill the area, including a local brass band parade and energetic Japanese taiko drumming performances.

Kappabashi Kitchenware Festival
Date: October 6 - 12
Location: Kappabashi Street in Tokyo (Google Maps)
Official website: https://www.kappabashi.or.jp/kappafes/ (Japanese)

4. Shimokitazawa Curry Festival (October 8–25)

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The Shimokitazawa Curry Festival is one of Tokyo’s largest curry-themed food events, transforming the streets of Shimokitazawa into a neighborhood-wide celebration of Japan’s love for curry.

Held annually since 2012, the festival attracts more than 100,000 participants each year. Rather than gathering everything at a single venue, visitors explore restaurants, cafés, bars, ramen shops, and other businesses throughout Shimokitazawa, each offering their own take on curry.

A major highlight is the free stamp rally, which encourages visitors to discover different corners of the neighborhood while collecting stamps from participating businesses in exchange for prizes.

In 2026, the festival celebrates its 15th year from October 8 to 25, with 135 participating businesses, including 110 serving curry and 21 offering spice-based or curry-inspired sweets.

This year also features a special collaboration with SEGA’s Sonic the Hedgehog and Puyo Puyo, with exclusive collaboration menus and limited-edition stamp rally prizes planned for the event.

Shimokitazawa Curry Festival
Date: October 8–25, 2026
Location: Around Shimokitazawa Station in Tokyo (Google Maps)
Official website:https://shimokitazawa-curryfes.com/

5. Mount Takao Autumn Festival (Late October - mid-December)

The Mount Takao Autumn Festival (Mount Takao Maple Festival) is held from late October into December, celebrating the mountain’s spectacular autumn foliage as its forests turn shades of red and yellow.

The leaves are usually at their best from mid-November to early December, making this one of the most popular times of year for hiking and sightseeing on Mount Takao.

A variety of special events and seasonal activities are organized throughout the festival, with the program and performances changing each year. Other activities may include Buddhist ceremonies connected to Takaosan Yakuoin Temple, nature workshops, guided hikes, and special evening events.

Some editions have also featured autumn foliage illuminations along the Mount Takao Cable Car route, offering a chance to experience the mountain’s fall colors after sunset.

Mount Takao Autumn Festival
Date: Late October to mid-December 2026
Location: Mount Takao (Hachioji) (Google Maps)
Official Website: https://www.hkc.or.jp/takaosan/momiji_fes/

6. Takadanobaba Yabusame Horseback Archery Event (October 12)

The Takadanobaba Yabusame is a traditional horseback archery event held annually on Sports Day, the second Monday of October, bringing a dramatic samurai-era tradition to Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.

The event traces its history to 1728, when the eighth Tokugawa shogun, Tokugawa Yoshimune, revived horseback archery and held a ceremony at Takadanobaba to pray for his heir’s recovery from illness. The tradition later became associated with Ana Hachiman Shrine and ceremonies held by the Tokugawa shogunate.

After disappearing during the Meiji period, the event was eventually revived and has been held at Toyama Park since 1979. In 1988, it was registered as an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Shinjuku.

The highlight is the powerful yabusame demonstration, where archers in traditional attire gallop on horseback along a straight course while firing arrows at wooden targets.

The speed of the horses and precision of the archers offer visitors a thrilling glimpse into a centuries-old form of Japanese mounted archery in the heart of Tokyo.

Takadanobaba Yabusame at Ana Hachiman Shrine
Date: October 12
Location: Toyama Park (near Takadanobaba / Waseda) (Google Maps)
Official website: https://www.anahachimanguu.jp/yabusame/

7. Yasukuni Shrine Autumn Grand Festival (October 17-19)

The Yasukuni Shrine Autumn Grand Festival is held annually from October 17 to 19 and is one of the shrine’s most important religious observances.

The three-day event begins with a purification ceremony, followed by formal Shinto rites honoring the spirits enshrined at Yasukuni. During the principal ceremony, an Imperial envoy proceeds to the shrine to present an offering from the Emperor and deliver an Imperial message.

Beyond the main ceremonies, the shrine grounds host a variety of ritual performances, which may include traditional Japanese dance and martial arts demonstrations. Visitors can also see dedicated flower offerings and the shrine’s seasonal chrysanthemum exhibition, bringing an autumn element to the ceremonial setting.

Yasukuni Shrine Autumn Grand Festival
Date: October 17-19
Location: Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo (Google Maps)
Official website: https://www.yasukuni.or.jp/english/festivals.html

8. Kagurazaka Bakeneko Cat Halloween Parade (October 11)

The Kagurazaka Bakeneko Festival is a creative annual Halloween event in Tokyo where participants dress as cats and bakeneko, supernatural cat-like creatures found in Japanese folklore.

The festival has a connection to the neighborhood’s literary history. Natsume Soseki, author of the famous novel "I Am a Cat," once lived in the area, making Kagurazaka a fitting setting for the cat-themed celebration.

Highlights include cat-themed face painting, feline costumes, street performances, themed goods and snacks, and Anya Odori, a playful cat-inspired variation of traditional Awa Odori dancing.

The main attraction is the bakeneko parade, with participants dressed as cats and other feline characters making their way along Kagurazaka’s main street toward Iidabashi. Visitors can watch freely, while those wishing to join the parade must register and pay a participation fee.

Kagurazaka Bakeneko Halloween Parade
Date: October 11, 10:00 - 17:00
Location: Kagurazaka district (Google Maps)
Official website: https://bakeneko.oops.jp/en/

9. Ikebukuro Halloween Cosplay Festival (October 30 - November 1)

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The Ikebukuro Halloween Cosplay Festival, also known as Ike-Hallo, is held annually around Ikebukuro Station’s East Exit and Sunshine City, bringing together over 20,000 cosplayers and more than 100,000 visitors for one of Japan’s largest Halloween cosplay events.

The festival transforms the Ikebukuro area with stage shows, cosplay showcases, dedicated photo areas, and other events celebrating anime, manga, gaming, and cosplay culture.

One of the main highlights is the Ike-Hallo Cosplay Parade, where hundreds of costumed participants take to the streets, while additional events are held at Naka-Ikebukuro Park and other locations throughout the neighborhood.

In 2026, the festival will run from October 30 to November 1, including Halloween Day for the first time in five years. Popular cosplayer Enako will also appear as a special guest on October 31.

Ikebukuro Halloween Cosplay Festival
Date: October 30 - November 1
Location: Ikebukuro Station East Exit and Sunshine City area (Google Maps)
Official website: https://ikebukurocosplay.jp/en/

10. Tamagawa Fireworks Festival (October 3)

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The Setagaya Tamagawa Fireworks Festival is a major autumn fireworks event held along the Tama River in Tokyo. While many of Japan’s major fireworks festivals take place in summer, this event brings spectacular displays to the autumn sky.

The festival typically launches around 6,000 fireworks and has been held simultaneously with the Kawasaki City Anniversary Tamagawa Fireworks Festival on the opposite bank since 1994.

Together, the two displays create an impressive panorama of fireworks over both sides of the Tama River, with festivities on the Setagaya side also including stage performances and seasonal food stalls.

In 2026, the festivals will take place on October 3, with fireworks scheduled from 18:00 to 19:00. Around 12,000 fireworks in total—approximately 6,000 from each side—will illuminate the night sky. The Setagaya display will follow the 2026 theme Soar — A New Flight Across the Night Sky.

Tamagawa Fireworks Festival
Date: October 3
Location: Futako-Tamagawa (Setagaya Ward along the Tama River)(Google Maps)
Official website: https://tamagawa-hanabi.com/

Enjoy October Festival and Events in Tokyo

From traditional tea ceremonies and horseback archery to curry festivals, autumn fireworks, and Halloween celebrations, October brings an incredibly varied calendar of events to Tokyo.

It is a month where centuries-old traditions sit alongside modern pop culture, seasonal food, and lively street festivals, offering plenty of different ways to experience the city.

Whether you are visiting for Japanese culture, food, autumn scenery, or Halloween, Tokyo has plenty to look forward to throughout October.

Main image from PR TIMES