Visiting Tokyo this October and want to know the interesting events and festivals you can go to and experience?
Look no further! Find out the events and festivals in Tokyo in October and never have a boring Tokyo trip!
Through this article, find out the October events and festivals in Tokyo, where to enjoy Halloween festivities in Tokyo, and more recommendation. Read on!
October events and festivals
October hosts lots of events and festivals in Tokyo. Here are some events in October you can go to:
Fireworks Festival
Not only during summer, October also hosts several fireworks festivals. So, if you missed the incredible fireworks in summer, you can still enjoy them during your October visit. Here are some places where you can enjoy the fireworks and food from stalls around the venue:
|
Event |
Date |
Location |
|
Narita Fireworks Festival |
Mid Oct 2019 |
New Town Sports Square (map) |
|
Fujisawa Enoshima Fireworks Festival 2019 |
Mid Oct 2019 |
Katase-Enoshima (map) |
|
Tsuchiura All Japan Fireworks Festival |
October 26, 2019 |
Sakuragawa Shore Park (map) |
Oeshiki Festival at Ikegami Honmonji Temple
A Buddhist festival to commemorate the death of Nichiren, a revered Buddhist teacher about 730 years ago. The highlight of this festival is mando (10,000 light) ceremony where 3000 people carry cherry-blossoms decorated lanterns along the route from Ikegami Station to the temple. The mando ceremony occurs on the 12th, and keep in mind that it can be very crowded. to Ikegami Honmonji. It can be very crowded – so turn up early for a good view.
|
Date |
11th Oct–13th Oct, 2019 6:00pm – 11:00pm |
|
Location |
Ikegami Honmonji Temple (map) |
Tokyo Ramen Show 2019
Taste the different styles of ramen in Japan from 36 different vendors (divided into 2 part, 18 at once) at this Ramen Show that usually runs for 11 days. If you love ramen, this is the place to go!
|
Date |
October 24 – November 4, 2019 |
|
Location |
Komazawa Olympic Park (map) |
Oedo Beer Festival 2019 (Autumn)
If you are a beer fan and would like to taste the many the wide range of different kinds of local beer Japan has, and also American, Belgian, and also German, visit this festival!
|
Date |
Early Oct 2019 (specific date to be determined) |
|
Location |
Shinagawa Intercity Hall (map) |
Japan Robot Week 2020
As you know, Japan is advanced with its technology. This is a chance for you to get to know the robots in Japan, especially the “service robots”, such as nursing robots, life support robots, and disaster response robots. There are also exhibitions by universities and laboratories, intended to stimulate the business and technology exchange regarding service robots. Entry is free, but you need to register in advance. Unfortunately, the next Japan Robot Week is in the year 2020, and there will be none held this year.
|
Date |
Mid Oct, 2020 |
|
Location |
Tokyo Big Sight (map) |
Tokyo Grand Tea Ceremony 2019
One of the cultural experiences in Japan you need to experience. I definitely recommend participating in this event that showcases one of Japan’s cultural asset- the tea ceremony. There are ceremonies conducted in English, so don’t worry! Anyone can participate with a fee of 300 yen (free for primary school children and under).
|
Date |
Mid-Late Oct 2019 (specific date to be determined) |
|
Location |
Hamarikyu Gardens (map) |
Halloween Festivals
We cannot forget Halloween, one of the most exciting festivals where people dress up, and Tokyo doesn’t take dressing up as a joke (you know the cosplays!)
- Kawasaki Halloween & Pride Parade 2019
This is the most famous Halloween Parade in Japan. People wear all kinds of costumes, the crazy ones, the gruesome ones, the scary ones and more. This is definitely a sight to see. You can watch the parade for free, or even take part in the parade with a cost of ¥1000.
|
Date |
The last Sunday of October, 2019 |
|
Time (Pride Parade) |
2:30 p.m - 4 p.m |
|
Location |
Tokyo Big Sight (map) |
- Bake Neko (Supernatural Cat) Festival
This is one of the unordinary Halloween parades, where you must be dressed as a cat to participate. The event usually runs from 10 am to 5 pm, but the main parade takes place at 2 pm to 3 pm, followed by a dance performance called “Anya Odori”. You can just enjoy the parade or even dress up as a cat and participate!
|
Date |
Mid Oct 2019 (specific date to be determined) |
|
Location |
Main Street of Kagurazaka (map) |
- Ikebukuro Halloween Cosplay Festival
This event for the imported festival is done with a more Japanese approach. Thousands of people dress up as manga and anime character other than the scary costumes you usually see during Halloween. Cosplayers fill the main streets, parks and even in stores. It’s free to watch, but if you want to take part, you have to pay ¥1000.
|
Date |
Late Oct 2019 (specific date to be determined) |
|
Location |
Higashi-Ikebukuro Central Park (map) |
- Roppongi Hills Halloween
Different from other Halloween events, this event is intended for kids to enjoy, with parade and costume workshops for them.
|
Date |
Late Oct 2019 (specific date to be determined) |
|
Location |
Roppongi Hills Arena (map) |
- Omotesando Halloween Pumpkin Parade
This is also another event for kids to celebrate Halloween, different from the scary ones. Kids under 12 can apply to be part of the parade and go trick or treating!
|
Date |
Late Oct 2019 (specific date to be determined) |
|
Time |
2 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. |
|
Location |
Omotesando |
Other events and festivals in October
|
Event |
Date |
Location |
| The National Museum of Modern Art ( Free Admission Date) |
October 6, 2019 10 a.m - 5 p.m | National Museum of Modern Art (map) |
| Kappabashi Dōgu Matsuri | Early Oct 2019 | Kappabashi Street (map) |
|
Hokkaido Fair in Yoyogi |
Early Oct 2019 |
Yoyogi Park Events Square (map) |
|
Red Spider Lily Festival |
Mid September - Early October, 2019 |
Kinchakuda (map) |
|
Hagi (Japanese bush clover) Festival |
September 14 - October 6, 2019 |
Mukōjima-Hyakkaen Garden (map) |
|
CEATEC 2019 |
October 15 - October 18, 2019 |
Makuhari Messe (map) |
|
The Railway Festival |
Early Oct 2019 |
Hibiya Park (map) |
|
The Tokyo Art Book Fair |
Mid Oct 2019 |
Warehouse TERADA (map) |
|
Edogawa Citizens Festival |
Early Oct 2019 |
Shinozaki Park (map) |
|
Fukuro Festival |
September 28 - October 13, 2019 |
Ikebukuro |
|
Yanaka Matsuri |
Early Oct 2019 |
Hatsune no Mori (map) |
|
Tsukiji Autumn Festival 2019 |
October 12, 2019 |
Tsukiji Outer Market (map) |
|
Toyama Park Yabusame |
Early Oct 2019 |
Anahachimangu shrine (map) |
|
Jiyugaoka Megami Matsuri |
October 6 and October 7, 2019 |
Jiyugaoka Station (map) |
|
Kawagoe Festival |
October 19 - October 20, 2019 |
Kawagoe Station (map) |
|
Indonesia Japan Friendship Festival 2019 |
October 19 - October 20, 2019 |
Yoyogi Park Events Square (map) |
|
Shitamachi Matsuri |
Mid - Late Oct, 2019 |
Nezu Jinja Shrine (map) |
|
Mt. Takao Beer Mount |
Jun 15 - October 15, 2019 |
Mount Takao (map) |
|
Nihonbashi-Kyobashi Matsuri |
October 27, 2019 |
Kyobashi, Nihonbashi (map) |
|
Tokyo Vegefood Festa 2019 |
Mid - Late October, 2019 |
Yoyogi Park Events Square (map) |
|
Autumn Rose Festival |
October 7 - October 22, 2019 9:00 am – 5:00 pm |
Kyu-Furukawa Gardens (map) |
|
Cosmos Flower Festival at Showa Kinen Park |
September 14 - October 27, 2019 |
Showa Kinen Park (map) |
|
Tokyo International Film Festival |
October 28 - November 5, 2019 |
EX Theater Roppongi (map) |
|
Design Touch 2019 |
Mid Oct–Early Nov 2019 |
Tokyo Midtown (map) |
|
Kanda Used Book Festival |
Late Oct–Early Nov 2019 |
Jimbocho Station (map) |
*The average temperature is 21°C (70°F) at highest and 14°C (58°F) at lowest. So bring and wear outfits accordingly.
Make your Tokyo trip more interesting! How?
There are lots of events in October, and if you want to have a deeper understanding of the different festivals and make your trip more interesting, you can hire a private guide. They will be able to give you local insights of the meaning of the festivals and culture in Tokyo. You can ask your private guide for recommendations of off-the-beaten-path spots.
By hiring a private guide, you will also get a free itinerary made by your guide to meet your preferences and needs. You can customize them. There are still more advantages in hiring a private guide in Tokyo, including an enhancing your experience and make it more interesting.
Don’t know where to hire them?
The thing is that there are many places on the web offering private tours in Tokyo, or private guides. However, it’s difficult to determine whether it’s good and trustworthy website or not. That’s why I’m recommending you GoWithGuide website. The website offers many local tour guides and also private tour options in Tokyo, from which you can choose according to your needs and preferences.
Recommended tours in Tokyo
There are so many great private tours available from the website, but one of my recommendations is Seasonal Tour! Tea picking with a view of Mt.Fuji, closest tea field from Tokyo!, a tour held only 2 times a year: in Spring (April 29th to June 31st) and in Autumn (September 15th to October 15th). A rare opportunity for you to enjoy things like tea-processing factory, world heritage sites, Japanese tea-picking, and more.
Like mentioned above, there is a grand tea ceremony in October, but what if you can’t make it to that event? Don’t worry! You can still experience tea ceremony through Zen Buddhism Meditation & Tea Ceremony tour, and also Experience a Tea Ceremony & Japanese Garden.
Wait, there's more:
Here is a list of more tours in Tokyo to take into consideration to make your trip more interesting, and also you can click here for tours in other areas of Japan.
If you don’t prefer looking through the private tour options but prefer to find the perfect guide for you, here is a list of great tour guides in Tokyo.
I hope this article helps provide useful information you can use for your trip to Tokyo in October, including the events and festivals in October, where to celebrate Halloween, and more recommendation. Wishing you a great time in Tokyo!
