10 things to do in Japan in March and April 2026

Set in the thoughtfully restored Yasaka Kaikan theatre, a landmark of the geisha neighbourhood of Gion since 1936, the Imperial Hotel’s first foray into Kyoto is set to shake up the city’s boutique hotel scene. Book the top-tier Imperial Suite for some seriously lavish views of the ancient capital.

Dress up in kimono and stroll the full-scale street sets depicting a Kyoto of yore at this newly renovated movie-set theme park, opening March 28. In the evening, visitors aged 18 and over can try their hand at traditional Japanese forms of gambling – and even take part in a ‘torture experience’.

Built above the tracks of a mothballed railway line, the latest addition to Tsutaya operator Culture Convenience Club’s line of T-Site complexes extends across a cluster of single-storey buildings housing restaurants and cafés serving up the best of the Karuizawa area – from soba noodles to wine. There’s a hot-spring bathhouse on the premises, too. Opening March 17.

Craft beer lovers, rejoice: Tokyo is welcoming a new taproom operated by Yo-Ho Brewing, one of Japan’s most reliable purveyors of artisanal suds. With more than 30 brews on tap you’ll always find something that tickles your fancy, and there’s also a strong selection of elevated pub grub.

Celebrated since 1635, this World Heritage-designated festival sees 13 magnificently decorated floats fitted with centuries-old mechanical puppets pulled through the streets of the castle town of Inuyama to the intoxicating tunes of traditional flutes and drums.

Take a moment to savour the cuisine of Okinawa’s tranquil Yomitan village at Yomitan Garden by The Terrace Hotels, where this secluded eatery serves up island staples like soki soba and jushi rice dishes alongside a selection of tropical drinks and sweets.

Spread out across two levels beneath the streets of Shibuya, this bipolar venue showcases the neighbourhood’s stimulating spirit across a funky DJ bar with nightly pole-dancing shows (‘Utopia’) and a warehouse-style techno club (‘Dystopia’).

Countless herbs and medicinal plants from across eastern Asia thrive across the 6,000sqm grounds, and many of them feature in the rejuvenating dishes served at the garden’s greenhouse restaurant. Besides smelling and savouring, you can try your hand at distilling herbs into essential oils, blending them into perfumes or using them to dye fabrics.

One of the most eagerly awaited parts of Tokyo’s still-expanding Takanawa Gateway City development, MoN Takanawa is an experimental museum that inhabits a distinctive, greenery-covered spiral structure dreamed up by renowned architect Kengo Kuma. It’s set to host two thematic exhibitions annually.

Enter the universe of the world’s favourite blue robot- cat at this exhibition featuring more than 100 ‘life- sized’ Doraemon figures, including an all-new ‘Sakura Doraemon’, plus troves of rare original drawings.