With the worst of the summer heat gone, autumn’s finally in the air! Celebrate fall with all the fantastic festivals October has to offer - from dancing to ramen-slurping to beer-drinking, there’s something for every visitor to Tokyo. If you’d rather be indoors, there’s no shortage of great exhibitions to check out all over the city, too.
Cosmos at Showa Kinen Park © ajari
Late September To Early November 2025 (To be confirmed)
Event: Cosmos Flower Festival
Location: Showa Kinen Park
Time: 9:30am-5:00pm
Admission: ¥450
Website: Official website (Japanese)
So named for their beautifully symmetrical appearance, cosmos are delicate daisy-like flowers that come in shades of orange, yellow, pink, white, red, lilac, and crimson. In Japan, they’re nicknamed autumn’s cherry blossoms — fairly apt, since they seem to be absolutely everywhere around late September to October.
One of the best places to see cosmos flowers in Tokyo is at the sprawling Showa Kinen Park, where the fields are blanketed in cosmos from around mid-September. They usually peak around early to mid-October, but depending on the weather, it’s possible to enjoy them as late as early November. There are a few main gardens to see them within the park, but our favourite last year was the evocatively-named “Lemon Bright” field carpeted in yellow sulphur cosmos.
26 September-7 October 2025 (To be confirmed)
Event: Red Spider Lily Festival
Location: Kinchakuda, Saitama
Time: 9:00am-4:30pm
Admission: ¥500
Website: Official website (Japanese)
September is spider lily season, and this little wooded corner of Saitama sees its grounds carpeted with over five million blood red flowers for around two weeks. Spider lilies, or higanbana as they’re known in Japanese, are associated with death and the afterlife in Japanese folklore. That’s not just because they grow around “ohigan” (autumn equinox), but also because these poisonous flowers used to be planted around graves to deter scavenging animals. Its macabre associations notwithstanding, they really are stunning en masse. A must-see for flower lovers.
Early October 2025 (To be confirmed)
Event: Tokyo Jazz Festival
Location: Various (see event website)
Time: Various (see event website)
Admission: Various (see event website)
Website: Official website (Japanese)
The Tokyo Jazz Festival is back! It runs for a few days around early October across several venues in town. Ticket prices vary by venue, but some of the events can be enjoyed for free at Keyaki-Namiki Street in Yoyogi Park. It’s a great day out for jazz fans.
Early October 2025 (To be confirmed)
Event: Mori no Takigi Noh
Location: Shinjuku Gyoen
Time: TBC
Admission: TBC
Website: Official website (Japanese)
Once a year in October, Shinjuku Gyoen closes its doors to the general public for this evening Noh performance set in its landscape garden, offering the visitor a rare glimpse into the garden by night. Noh was formerly the preferred form of entertainment for the samurai class, and surely reaches its apotheosis when performed by torchlight, a tradition originating from the practice of burning sacred firewood (takigi). For sheer magic and visual splendour, few events in the park can match this spectacle. To purchase tickets, contact the Shinjuku City Tourist Association directly, or check the official website for details.
Panda at Ueno Zoo © Kanegen
1 October 2025
Event: Ueno Zoo - Free Admission Day
Location: Ueno Zoo
Time: 9:00am-5:00pm
Admission: Free
Website: Official website (English)
Ueno Zoo is a beloved institution in Tokyo, not least because it is home to giant pandas from China. This year is also the first time in 29 years that there has been a panda cub born in the zoo resulting from natural mating, making it a rather momentous occasion. Of course, there are numerous kinds of animals to see here.
Come 1 October, visitors can visit Ueno Zoo for free. In fact, there are three days a year when Ueno Zoo opens its doors to the public for free: 20 March (Ueno Zoo’s Anniversary Day), 4 May (Greenery Day), and 1 October (Tokyo Citizen’s Day).
1 October 2025
Event: Tokyo Sea Life Park - Free Admission Day
Location: Kasai Rinkai Park
Time: 9:30am-5:00pm
Admission: Free
Website: Official website (English)
With marine animals from oceans across the world – the Pacific, Indian Ocean, Atlantic, Arctic and Antarctic – those who love the sea are sure to be thrilled at a day out here. Don’t forget to catch penguin feeding time. The park is, of course, even better when you can visit for free.
There are three days a year when you can enter for free: 4 May (Greenery Day), 1 October (Tokyo Citizens Day), and 10 October (the aquarium’s Anniversary Day).
Fabulous golden fireworks in summer © Zengame
4 October 2025 (To be confirmed)
Event: Tamagawa Fireworks Festival
Location: Futako-Tamagawa Sports Ground
Time: 6:00pm-7:00pm
Admission: Free
Website: Official website (Japanese)
Summer’s pretty much over, but you can still catch this fireworks festival - it’s one of the last you’ll see in 2025 around Tokyo. Expect the usual vivid displays synchronized to music.
5 October 2025 (To be confirmed)
Event: Hanazono Shrine Antique Market
Location: Hanazono Shrine
Time: 6:30am-4:00pm
Admission: Free
Website: Official website (Japanese)
Here’s another fun reason to visit Hanazono Shrine in Shinjuku: there’s a small but regular antique fair happening there almost every Sunday. The Hanazono Shrine Blue Sky Antique Fair - which is the full name in Japanese, roughly translated - is not exactly endless sprawl and shopping, since there are only 25-30 stalls maximum at any given time. Smaller items are the focus here, rather than large furniture or statement pieces.
The market runs from sunrise to sunset, though visiting in the morning is best since many stalls tend to close around 3:00pm. (Come around then for the best bargains.) Check the calendar above before you go. If it rains, expect it not to run.
5 October 2025 (To be confirmed)
Event: Oedo Antique Market
Location: Tokyo International Forum
Time: 9:00am-4:00pm
Admission: Free
Website: Official website (English)
Billed as the largest outdoor antique market in Japan, the event attracts shoppers from all walks of life. There is quite literally everything and anything old here: Taisho-period glassware, ceramics, rusty coins, gorgeous jewelry, secondhand kimono ranging from dirt cheap to a few hundred dollars… Whether you’re looking for a cheap bargain or a rare gem from the 1880s, you’re sure to find something for your budget. Haggling is best very early in the morning or towards the end of the day, though you can spend the whole day browsing.
The market is closed in case of rain, but this market is held twice or thrice a month. So, if that happens, you can try your luck again on 19 October.
9 October-14 October 2025 (To be confirmed)
Event: Craft Gyoza Festival 2025
Location: Komazawa Olympic Park General Sports Ground
Time: 10:00am-8:00pm (11:00am start on weekdays)
Admission: Free; food costs separate and no cash accepted
Website: TBC
October is here and it can only mean one thing: gyoza. Alright, we jest – any time is a good time to eat these tasty little dumplings. At this festival dedicated entirely to this art form, anything and everything is fair game for filling dumplings. Have them steamed, boiled, pan-fried or deep-fried. Fill them with pork, eggplant, cheese, mayonnaise, garlic, leeks, chocolate. If you can imagine it, it probably exists. The real question is whether you can sample every single dumpling stall at the festival. But hey, that’s exactly why it runs for four days. Entry is free but you pay separately for the food. Expect queues; it’s worth reserving tickets in advance.
10 October 2025
Event: Tokyo Sea Life Park - Free Admission Day
Location: Kasai Rinkai Park
Time: 9:30am-5:00pm
Admission: Free
Website: Official website (English)
With marine animals from oceans across the world – the Pacific, Indian Ocean, Atlantic, Arctic and Antarctic – those who love the sea are sure to be thrilled at a day out here. Don’t forget to catch penguin feeding time. The park is, of course, even better when you can visit for free.
There are three days a year when you can enter for free: 4 May (Greenery Day), 1 October (Tokyo Citizens Day), and 10 October (the aquarium’s Anniversary Day).
Performing team at the Yosakoi Festival © Marufish
11-12 October 2025 (To be confirmed)
Event: The Tokyo Yosakoi Festival
Location: Ikebukuro West Gate Station Plaza
Time: 11:00am-9:00pm
Admission: Free
Website: Official website (Japanese)
If you make time for just one festival this month, make it the Tokyo Yosakoi Festival. Having been held annually since 1968, it’s a rip-roaring hyper-energetic dance competition bringing over 100 teams from across the nation to show off their yosakoi dance routines. Think bright costumes, chanting, and oodles of folkish charm.
11-12 October 2025 (To be confirmed)
Event: Yanaka Matsuri
Location: Yanaka area
Time: 10:00am-4:00pm
Admission: Free
Website: Official website (Japanese)
With its sprawl and dozens of neighbourhoods, Tokyo doesn’t lack for festivals throughout the year. One of our favourites takes place in the charming temple-filled neighbourhood of Yanaka. Held annually in early October, the Yanaka Matsuri brings together local community and visitors from the area. You can expect all kinds of charm and liveliness – dance and music performances, festival games, food vendors, and more. Events are held across various venues in the area, including the cemetery, the Yanaka Beer Hall, and Hatsune no Mori square. If you can make the parade, do – watching a portable shrine being carried through the streets is always fun!
Tasty ramen to be had at the festival © George N
23 October-3 November 2025 (To be confirmed)
Event: Tokyo Ramen Festa 2025
Location: Komazawa Olympic Park
Time: 10:00am-8:30pm
Admission: From ¥1100 (Advance purchases from 7-11 starting October)
Website: Official website (Japanese)
Sure, you can eat ramen any time you want - but at the annual Tokyo Ramen Festival (previously known as the Tokyo Ramen Show), you can slurp up the best of the best in Japan. The nation’s finest ramen makers gather in Komazawa Olympic Park to show off their noodly goods. Every conceivable style you can think of is represented, along with limited edition event-only specials you won’t find at their shops. Ramen aficionados are serious about their bowls, so be prepared for crowds. Last year, the event was split into three parts with 12 different vendors each time, with 36 in total to try. Can you eat them all?
24-26 October 2025 (To be confirmed)
Event: Taste of Tokyo
Location: Various (See official website)
Time: 11:00am-8:00pm (Sun 11:00am-6:00pm)
Admission: Free
Website: Official website (English)
It’s only fitting that a city this obsessed with food should also hold a giant food festival on the regular. Organized by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, this festival showcases the best of Tokyo’s food culture, beginning with Japanese food but spanning cuisine from five continents. Almost everything is represented, and there’s the all important sake and craft beer to wash everything down. After that you can even do your weekend grocery shop. If you can find it in Tokyo, you’ll find it at this festival.
26 October 2025
Event: Nogi Shrine Antique Market
Location: Nogi Shrine
Time: 9:00am until it gets dark
Admission: Free
Website: Official website (Japanese)
This small-scale, local, and charming antique market takes place along the shrine’s main approach every 4th Sunday. Visit to chat and haggle with sellers over items of all kinds: from secondhand clothing to kokeshi dolls to wooden furniture to stamps from several decades ago, you might find anything and everything here. If it rains, though, consider the event cancelled.
27 October-5 November 2025 (To be confirmed)
Event: 38th Tokyo International Film Festival
Location: Roppongi Hills & others
Time: Various (See official website)
Admission: Various
Website: Official website (English)
Tokyo’s most prestigious film festival is back! The 38th edition will see another fabulous lineup of special events and screenings. Watch sports films and documentaries at an outdoor screening at the foot of Tokyo Tower; or veg out at the outdoor theatre at Tokyo Midtown Hibiya. Of course, the first day will see celebrities and filmmakers from all over the world walking the red carpet in Roppongi. Check the website for full details on the festivities.
Tokyo Events Month By Month 2025
- Tokyo Events January 2025
- Tokyo Events February 2025
- Tokyo Events March 2025
- Tokyo Events April 2025
- Tokyo Events May 2025
- Tokyo Events June 2025
- Tokyo Events July 2025
- Tokyo Events August 2025
- Tokyo Events September 2025
- Tokyo Events October 2025
- Tokyo Events November 2025
- Tokyo Events December 2025
Tokyo Vacation Checklist
- For all the essentials in a brief overview, see my First Time In Tokyo guide
- Check Tokyo accommodation availability and pricing on Booking.com and Agoda.com - often you can book with no upfront payment and free cancellation
- Need tips on where to stay? See my one page guide Where To Stay In Tokyo
- You can buy shinkansen (bullet train) tickets online from Klook - popular routes include Tokyo to Kyoto, Tokyo to Osaka and Tokyo to Hiroshima
- You can buy an eSim to activate in Japan or buy a Japan SIM card online for collection on arrival at Tokyo Narita or Haneda airports. Or rent an unlimited data pocket wifi router
- See my comprehensive Packing List For Japan
- Compare airline flight prices and timings for the best Japan flight deals. Check my guides to arriving at Narita Airport and at Haneda Airport.
- If you're visiting more than one city, you might save money with a Japan Rail Pass – see if it's worth it for you
- World Nomads offers simple and flexible travel insurance. Buy at home or while traveling and claim online from anywhere in the world
- Do you want help planning your trip? Chris Rowthorn and his team of Japan experts at Japan Travel Consulting can help
