November Events in Tokyo: Festivals, Foliage, and Lights

Tokyo in November: Autumn Festivals and Events

As November arrives, Tokyo settles into a mix of vivid fall color and early winter lights. Afternoon temperatures hover around a crisp 57°F (14°C), making it ideal weather to wander through golden ginkgo canopies, browse bustling shrine markets, and catch the season's first major light shows after dark.

From traditional festivals to massive outdoor food events, here are 10 November events in Tokyo!

• Table of Contents
• 1. Asakusa Tori-no-Ichi (November 7 and 19)
• 2. Bunkyo Chrysanthemum Festival (November 1 - 23)
• 3. Meiji Jingu Gaien Ginkgo Festival (November 15 - December 8)
• 4. Mt. Takao Autumn Leaves Festival (October 24 - December 13)
• 5. Rikugien Garden Autumn Evening Light-Up (November 25 - December 6)
• 6. Hachioji Ginkgo Festival (November 21 - 22)
• 7. Design Festa at Tokyo Big Sight (November 14 - 15)
• 8. Tokyo Ramen Festa at Komazawa Olympic Park (October 30 - November 3)
• 9. Roppongi Hills Keyakizaka Illumination (November 5 - December 25)
• 10. Marunouchi Illumination (November 12, 2026 - February 14, 2027)

1. Asakusa Tori-no-Ichi (November 7 and 19)

Photo by Pixta

Held on designated "Days of the Rooster" throughout November, the Asakusa Tori-no-Ichi fair at Asakusa's Otori Shrine and adjacent Chokokuji Temple is one of Tokyo's most electrifying autumn traditions.

Dating back to the Edo period (1603–1867), this lively festival draws visitors praying for good fortune and business prosperity for the upcoming year.

Photo by Pixta

The Tori-no-Ichi grounds are illuminated with lanterns and packed with open-air stalls selling kumade—bamboo rakes loaded with gold coins, masks, and talismans to rake in business wealth and good luck.

Whenever a kumade rake is purchased, merchants and buyers perform a rhythmic unison clap (tejime) that rings through the alleys, filling the night air with celebratory energy.

Asakusa Tori-no-Ichi
Date: November 7 and 19
Location: Otori Shrine and Chokokuji Temple in Asakusa (Google Maps)
Official website: Asakusa Tori-no-Ichi (Japanese)

2. Bunkyo Chrysanthemum Festival (November 1 - 23)

Photo by Pixta

Held at Yushima Tenmangu Shrine (dedicated to the patron deity of scholarship), the Bunkyo Chrysanthemum Festival is one of Tokyo's most celebrated autumn floral showcases.

Originating during the Showa era (1926–1989), this festival displays around 2,000 masterfully potted chrysanthemums alongside kiku-ningyo—elaborate human figures dressed in fresh, live chrysanthemum garments depicting historical figures and classic drama characters.

Against the backdrop of the shrine, the brilliant colors offer a tranquil, culturally rich escape right in the heart of historic Bunkyo Ward.

Bunkyo Chrysanthemum Festival
Date: November 1 - 23
Location: Yushima Temmangu Shrine (Yushima Tenjin) (Google Maps)
Official website: Bunkyo Chrysanthemum Festival (Japanese)

3. Meiji Jingu Gaien Ginkgo Festival (November 15 - December 8)

Photo by Pixta

Running from mid-November through early December, the Meiji Jingu Gaien Ginkgo Festival celebrates Tokyo's most iconic autumn foliage.

Framed by a grand 300-meter avenue designed in the Taisho era (1912–1926), 146 conical ginkgo trees create a breathtaking natural tunnel leading toward the historic Seitoku Kinen Kaigakan picture gallery, and it is known as Tokyo's signature autumn postcard.

As sunlight filters through the soaring canopy, visitors can walk through a glowing canopy overhead and a yellow-leaf carpet underfoot, flanked by street-food stalls offering regional Japanese delicacies.

Meiji Jingu Gaien Ginkgo Festival
Date: November 15 - December 8
Location: Jingu Gaien Ginkgo Avenue (Google Maps)
Official website: Meiji Jingu Gaien Ginkgo Festival (Japanese)

4. Mt. Takao Autumn Leaves Festival (October 24 - December 13)

Photo by Pixta

Running from October 24 through December 13, the Mt. Takao Autumn Leaves Festival celebrates the fiery red and gold foliage blanketing Tokyo's most accessible mountain. Located just 50 minutes west of Shinjuku, this vibrant getaway attracts nature lovers escaping the metropolis. 

Visitors can access the mountain from Kiyotaki Station at the mountain base, and then ascend through radiant maple tunnels via the chairlift, scenic hiking trails, or the steepest cable car in Japan! With crisp afternoon temperatures averaging around 55°F (13°C), it offers an invigorating autumn retreat with panoramic vistas reaching all the way to Mount Fuji.

Mt. Takao Autumn Leaves Festival
Date: October 24 - December 13
Location: Takaosanguchi Station (Used to access Mt. Takao) (Google Maps)
Official website: Mt. Takao Autumn Leaves Festival (Japanese)

5. Rikugien Garden Autumn Evening Light-Up (November 25 - December 6)

Photo by Pixta

The Rikugien Garden Autumn Evening Light-Up transforms one of Tokyo's most celebrated 18th-century gardens into a glowing nighttime showcase.

From November 25 through December 6, Rikugien illuminates brilliant red maples with artfully directed LED spotlights, casting vivid autumn reflections across its central pond.

Photo by Pixta

Along the walking path, misty light projections and soft lanterns guide visitors toward the lakeside teahouse, where you can sip hot matcha and savor traditional sweets while watching illuminated maple branches shimmer on the dark water.

Rikugien Garden Autumn Evening Light-Up
Date: November 25 - December 6
Location: Rikugien Gardens (Google Maps)
Light-up Admission: 1,200 yen
Official website: Rikugien Garden Autumn Evening Light-Up (Japanese)

6. Hachioji Ginkgo Festival (November 21 - 22)

Photo by Pixta

Held primarily around Ryonan Park and the Ryonan Ginkgo Hall, the Hachioji Ginkgo Festival celebrates an iconic stretch of golden autumn beauty.

Over 770 massive ginkgo trees planted in the early Showa era (1926–1989) form a radiant 2.5-mile (4-kilometer) corridor along the historic Koshu Kaido roadway.

Visitors can take part in a traditional wooden-pass stamp rally that mirrors the journeys of feudal travelers, or watch parades featuring classic cars and local music troupes.

Along the leafy promenade, street vendors serve regional snacks, craft stalls showcase handmade goods, and autumn temperatures around 57°F (14°C) make for a comfortable stroll just a 40-minute train ride from Shinjuku.

Hachioji Ginkgo Festival
Date: November 21 - 22
Locations:
Ryonan Park (Google Maps)
Ryonan Ginkgo Hall (Google Maps)
Official website: Hachioji Ginkgo Festival (Japanese)

7. Design Festa at Tokyo Big Sight (November 14 - 15)

Photo by Pixta

Held at Tokyo Big Sight every November, Design Festa is Asia's largest open art and design expo, bringing over 10,000 independent artists, designers, illustrators, and jewelers together for a weekend of live mural painting, performances, and indie design booths.

Visitors can explore vast exhibition halls packed with handmade accessories, avant-garde fashion, and original illustrations.

Photo by PR Times

With experimental stage performances, interactive craft workshops, and an international food court, the energetic weekend offers a thrilling glimpse into Japan's subcultures located about 25 minutes from Tokyo Station.

Design Festa
Date: November 14 - 15
Location: Tokyo Big Sight (Google Maps)
Official website: Design Festa (Japanese)

8. Tokyo Ramen Festa at Komazawa Olympic Park (October 30 - November 3)

Photo by PR Times

Held each year at Komazawa Olympic Park, the Tokyo Ramen Festa is Japan's premier outdoor noodle gathering.

Originally referred to as the Tokyo Ramen Show, this open-air festival unites award-winning ramen shops from Hokkaido to Kyushu to Tokyo. Visitors purchase tickets at the entrance and browse dozens of stalls serving steaming tonkotsu, miso, and soy sauce broths topped with tender braised pork.

Photo by Pixta

November temperatures averaging around 54°F (12°C) make the piping-hot soup exceptionally satisfying, offering an unforgettable culinary experience just 15 minutes by train from Shibuya.

Tokyo Ramen Festa
Date: October 30 - November 3
Location: Komazawa Olympic Park (Google Maps)
Official website: Tokyo Ramen Festa (Japanese)

9. Roppongi Hills Keyakizaka Illumination (November 5 - December 25)

Photo by Pixta

Launching in early November, the Roppongi Hills Keyakizaka Illumination lights up with around 800,000 blue and silver "Snow & Blue" LEDs, perfectly framing the warmly lit orange Tokyo Tower in the background.

First unveiled to celebrate the opening of Roppongi Hills, this world-renowned urban display is roughly 400 meters (about 1,300 feet) of tree-lined silver-white and cool-blue lights that produce an ethereal frost effect along Keyakizaka-dori, located just a 10-minute subway ride from Shibuya.

Roppongi Hills Keyakizaka Illumination
Date: November 5 - December 25
Location: Roppongi Keyakizaka Dori (Google Maps)
Official website: Roppongi Hills Keyakizaka Illumination (Japanese)

10. Marunouchi Illumination (November 12, 2026 - February 14, 2027)

Photo by Pixta

Marunouchi Naka-dori, the upscale tree-lined boulevard behind Tokyo Station, sparkles as hundreds of street trees are draped in over a million low-energy "champagne gold" LEDs, complemented by seasonal art installations and outdoor cafés.

The overarching trees reflect off luxury storefronts and cobblestone walkways.

Photo by Pixta

Located immediately outside Tokyo Station's Marunouchi Exit, the radiant installation offers one of the capital's most accessible evening Illuminations.

Marunouchi Illumination
Date: November 12, 2026 - February 14, 2027
Location: Marunouchi Naka-Dori Avenue (Google Maps)
Official website: Marunouchi Illumination (Japanese)

Tokyo in November: A Season of Color and Celebration

Whether you are exploring historic shrine fairs, admiring fiery maples and golden ginkgo avenues, or catching the season's first evening light displays, November brings together rich heritage and seasonal beauty.

Comfortable daytime temperatures make it easy to wander through historic neighborhoods, browse artisan markets, and warm up with a steaming bowl of festival ramen. Grab a light jacket, check the schedules before heading out, and soak in Tokyo's autumn charm.

Main image by Pixta