January 2026 events in Tokyo

Around 700 stalls line the street during the annual Setagaya Boroichi, a venerable flea market that's been going on for more than 430 years now. Held twice a year – on December 15-16 and again on January 15-16 – the event attracts tens of thousands of visitors, making it one of the highlights on Setagaya's yearly calendar.

The main area of the market is along Boroichi-dori, a street which centres around the Setagaya Daikan Yashiki, the old, thatched-roof local magistrate’s residence. We’d recommend hopping off the train at Setagaya Station on the Setagaya Line, walking along Boroichi-dori, and then leaving from Kamimachi Station. And if you don't mind the long lines, it's worth sampling one of the market's popular daikan mochi rice cakes – Boroichi's de facto official snack.

The Setagaya Line is a light railway, and tickets are available as you get on the train or at the platform. You’ll have a smoother trip if you have the fare ready beforehand (¥160 for adults, ¥80 for children). 

This secondhand clothing festival is hosted by And Buyer, a Japanese company that distributes and promotes the use of pre-loved wear and gear. Furugi Festival on January 11 is a shopping frenzy featuring over 300 stalls selling nothing but secondhand and vintage clothing from 10am to 7pm. You’ll be able to find one-of-a-kind pieces from both individual sellers and local shops you might recognise. Entry is ¥500 (free for primary school students and under) per person. If you’ve got your eye on a must-have item and want to beat the crowds, opt for the fast pass (¥1,000), which grants exclusive access to the event from 9am.

Tickets are now on sale via Eplus.

There’s no better way to spend your winter evening than sipping on hot sake while savouring some hearty oden. This unique pop-up serves award-winning atsukan (hot sake) and oden from five different prefectures, including the standard Tokyo-style oden, Nagoya-style miso oden and Shizuoka-style rich dashi oden. The best part is, you get to enjoy all this on Platform 3 at the Ryogoku station while seated at a nice and warm kotatsu table.

A ticket will get you a sake glass, ten sake tastings and a serving of oden. Tickets are available for purchase in advance through the website and each time slot is limited to 50 minutes. 

Once a regular on shows like Conan and John Oliver’s New York Stand-Up Show, giggling good-natured comedian Ron Funches is also known for his Gettin’ Better podcast and as an accomplished voice actor. The Los Angeles native brings joy, weirdness and undeniable charisma to Tokyo in mid-January, headlining an evening of storytelling that should leave you feeling warm and fuzzy inside, no matter the weather.

One of the UK’s most beloved rock bands in recent years, Bar Italia comes to Tokyo to showcase their latest record, Some Like It Hot. Their new sound wields clashing guitars, dramatic strings and melancholic duets that stylistically call back to the annals of UK guitar rock. After releasing two albums on Dean Blunt’s label World Music, plus singles and EPs online, Bar Italia gained a cult following while remaining an enigmatic presence over London’s music scene.

In Japan, they won the #1 spot on Big Love Records’ year-end chart, a globally recognised indie music source. In 2023 the band signed with Matador, all while touring sold-out shows and performing at major festivals like Glastonbury and Coachella. And this winter, they’re coming to Tokyo’s Liquidroom (and Osaka’s Shangri-La).

The Canadian indie band Men I Trust are masters of mood. Sonically, they traffic in dream pop with nostalgia-drenched synths, groovy basslines and angelic vocals. And yet there’s a certain commitment to R&B, jazz and funk that’s sure to have you swaying and crying simultaneously. The three-piece has consistently self-released their music, championing independence through commendable DIY efforts despite their enormous success. Their 2025 album Equus Caballus – longlisted for the 2025 Polaris Music Prize – is simply a testament to their strengths.

Supporting their Japan tour is Mei Semones, a jazz-influenced indie act hailing from Brooklyn, New York. This is a match made in alt heaven – grab your tickets while you still can.

Nearly three decades after it first hatched in the palms of Japanese schoolgirls, Tamagotchi – Bandai’s iconic handheld digital pet – returns to the spotlight with a major anniversary exhibition at the Roppongi Museum. Released in 1996, the tiny egg-shaped device quickly became a global sensation, inspiring devoted caretakers, schoolyard debates and a cultural phenomenon that reached far beyond Japan.

With more than 100 million units shipped worldwide by 2025 and 38 evolving models, from early black-and-white screens to today’s wi-fi-enabled devices, the Tamagotchi remains an icon of playful companionship and digital nostalgia.

The Tamagotchi 30th Anniversary Exhibition invites you to step inside the world of these strange, charming creatures from the distant Tamagotchi Planet. Through immersive installations, historical displays and interactive environments, the show revisits three decades of innovation while exploring the irresistible appeal of a being that needs you to feed it, entertain it, clean up after it – and love it. Exclusive exhibition merch, including artist collabs and limited-edition items featuring the main visual, will of course also be available.

Celebrating the quirky digital lifeform that once demanded the attention of millions, the exhibition offers both a heartfelt tribute to, and a fresh encounter with, a beloved cultural icon. Following its Tokyo run, the exhibition will travel to Nagoya, Ibaraki, Osaka and additional cities to be announced.

This winter, the Sagamihara City Museum invites visitors on an interstellar adventure where science meets imagination, plus more cuddly Pokémon than you can shake a stick at. ‘Pokémon Observatory’ is organised in collaboration with the Pokémon Company, the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan and JAXA, transforming the mysteries of the universe into a playful, educational journey guided by the beloved creatures of the Pokémon world.

From the familiar glow of the Moon and Sun to distant galaxies, the exhibition employs the world of Pokémon to explain celestial phenomena in engaging, accessible ways. Visitors of all ages will get to explore how the fantastical ecologies of Pokémon mirror the diversity and wonder of the cosmos. And yes, of course – there’ll be limited-edition merch available. Among the highlights is the debut of Starry Sky Pikachu, a plush mascot sold exclusively at the venue.

With interactive displays and imaginative storytelling, ‘Pokémon Observatory’ captures the spirit of discovery, and invites young and old to gaze upward and ask new questions about the universe.

From November 14 to January 12, Tokyo City View hosts 'All of Evangelion', an art exhibition to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the beloved Evangelion franchise. 

As its name suggests, the exhibition spans the entirety of Evangelion's decades-long history, featuring everything from original cels and drawings from the Neon Genesis Evangelion anime series to never-before-seen digital materials from the Rebuild of Evangelion films.

Take a closer look at the exhibition here.

Anime Tokyo Station in Ikebukuro celebrates the enduring legacy of two iconic anime series that are both marking 25 years since they were first broadcast on TV. The exhibition entices generations of Digimon Adventure 02 and Magical DoReMi # fans by showcasing the creativity, emotion and imagination that defined the turn-of-the-millennium era in anime.

Expect a rare behind-the-scenes look at the artistry of both series through an extensive collection of original production materials, including character design sheets, hand-drawn storyboards and vividly painted background art. That’s in addition to costume and prop reference materials that illuminate the meticulous world-building behind each show.

Interactive experiences abound. Visitors can step into the Digimon Adventure 02 universe at a dedicated photo spot featuring its key visual, or take commemorative pictures alongside beloved Magical DoReMi # characters such as Doremi, Hazuki, Aiko, Onpu and Hana. Complementing these displays are digital installations, a chronological showcase of the Digimon franchise, and insights into the latest series, Digimon Beatbreak.

Founded in Osaka in 1983, Capcom has shaped the landscape of global gaming with legendary franchises like Street Fighter, Resident Evil and Monster Hunter.

To celebrate over four decades of imagination, innovation and impact from one of Japan’s most iconic video game developers, Creative Museum Tokyo is hosting ‘Capcom Creation – Moving Hearts Across the Globe’ until February 22 2026. This immersive exhibition explores the evolution of video games as an art form, one that blends technology with human creativity to bring extraordinary digital worlds to life.

Spanning multiple ‘rounds’, the exhibition traces Capcom’s creative journey. Visitors enter through a vibrant 16-metre video tunnel featuring animated tributes to beloved characters, then dive into rare concept art, design documents, vintage box illustrations and behind-the-scenes materials. Interactive zones, including a pixel art lab, facial expression tracking and motion capture mirrors, invite guests to experience the technology behind game creation first hand.

Johnny Depp may be best known for his eccentric on-screen roles, but long before fame, he was quietly building a collection of artworks. Now, more than 100 of his paintings and drawings – spanning from his early twenties to the present – are on view at ‘A Bunch of Stuff – Tokyo’, held at +Base 0 inside Newoman Takanawa South. 

The exhibition features five themed spaces, beginning with bold calligraphed quotes that hint at Depp’s mindset. Visitors are then led into a bohemian studio-style room filled with the actor’s personal objects and art supplies brought directly from his workspace. 

Other highlights from the exhibition include Depp’s signature ‘Death by Confetti’ series, where celebratory motifs meet skeletons to reflect the pressure of fame, as well as a video work making its Japan debut inside the immersive ‘Black Box’. Projected across a curved screen, Depp’s paintings come to life as he narrates his reflections on art, identity and the highs and lows of his long career.

Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849) stands tall as one of Japan’s most celebrated artists, renowned for his dazzling imagination, bold compositions and mastery of line. While his brush paintings reveal his singular vision, ukiyo-e prints – commercially produced, widely circulated images – were what cemented his global legacy. These prints, once everyday commodities, now serve as invaluable windows into the culture, lifestyles and visual sensibilities of the period.

The Sumida Hokusai Museum’s ‘Exploring with Hokusai! The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Ukiyo-e Prints’ delves deep into the medium that shaped Hokusai’s fame. Rather than simply showcasing masterpieces, the exhibition illuminates the evolution of ukiyo-e technology, from early monochromatic sumizuri-e to the vivid nishiki-e that revolutionised colour printing. You’ll get to discover the ingenuity of carvers, printers and publishers, whose finely tuned collaboration brought each work to life.

The exhibition also highlights ukiyo-e as Edo-period (1603–1868) media. Portraits of actors, travel images, fans and advertisements reveal a lively society recorded through prints that doubled as entertainment and information. Together, the works on display offer a richly layered portrait of Edo’s visual culture and the enduring appeal of ukiyo-e.

If you're visiting the Warner Bros. Studio Tour – The Making of Harry Potter this holiday season, you’re in for a treat. Tokyo’s hottest Harry Potter attraction has gone all out for its third Christmas celebration with a stunning six-metre-tall Christmas tree, a 1:24 scaled reproduction of Hogwarts Castle covered in snow, plenty of sparkling illuminations and a special food menu, all inspired by the first Christmas scene from ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'. 

Themed 'Hogwarts in the Snow', the Warner Bros. Studio Tour's holiday extravaganza has painstakingly recreated the Hogwarts Christmas scene from the first film with a breathtaking festive makeover of its Great Hall. New for 2025, the studio’s Christmas tree–decked Great Hall will feature a dazzling display of 400 floating candles – just like in the film – casting a warm, magical glow. You'll also find a stunning Christmas tree in the lobby while illuminations are spread out across the premises including around the entrance lobby. The light-ups come on in the evening until 30 minutes after closing time.

As for the holiday menu, each of the Studio Tour's three food outlets is serving Christmas specials. For instance, you'll find a Christmas afternoon tea set and a buche de Noël Christmas cake at Backlot Cafe, a s'more dessert pizza at the Food Hall, and Christmas tree ice cream cones at the Frog Cafe.

Taking place around Yokohama Port, Yokohama Night Flowers (formerly Yokohama Sparkling Twilight) lights up not only the city but also the sky above it. It's a stunning sight as the fireworks are set off above the illuminated boats crisscrossing the sea in front of Yamashita Park. 

This time around, there are 9 five-minute fireworks displays scheduled from December to March. Depending on the date, the fireworks are launched from either Osanbashi Pier and/or Shinko Pier. This makes the seaside Yamashita Park and Yokohama's Red Brick Warehouse an ideal vantage point to catch all the explosive action.

Along with the fireworks, Yokohama is also hosting several nighttime events nearby, including the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse Christmas Market (until Dec 25), Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse Art Rink (until Feb 15), Yokohama Bread Festival (March 6-8) and more. See the event website for updates.

Fireworks displays are held on December 24 and 31, January 24 and 31, February 7, 14, 21 and 28, March 21. (2026)

The massive Unicorn Gundam statue in front of DiverCity Tokyo Plaza in Odaiba is getting lit up with special winter lights. Until March 6, you can see the robot illuminated in pale green, inspired by the upcoming Gundam Hathaway trilogy release 'Mobile Suit Gundam: The Sorcery of Nymph Circe', which is premiering on January 30. While you can see this exclusive light-up from 5pm to 11pm daily, we recommend visiting between 7pm and 9.30pm to also see a special nighttime show featuring a short screening of the animation, held every 30 minutes.

The 1.2-kilometre-long Marunouchi Naka-dori street, always one of the most popular Tokyo illumination spots, will have around 250 trees lit up with about 775,000 low-energy, champagne-coloured LEDs this year, making for an environmentally friendly and stylish display.

If you’d rather stay cosy while admiring the lights, visit the renovated Marunouchi House, where the seventh-floor terrace will feature festive illuminations for a limited time. The terrace has plenty of seats surrounded by outdoor heaters.

Closer to Christmas, Gyoko-dori between the Imperial Palace and Tokyo Station will have more illuminations between November 28 and December 25, bringing the total to around 810,000 LEDs.

The annual illuminations at Oi Racecourse (also known as Tokyo City Keiba) are returning for their seventh run, with the sprawling venue bathed in colourful lights every evening. You can enjoy elaborate light-up and projection mapping displays across two areas.

Upon entering the venue, you’ll find yourself in the Twinkle area, where you’ll walk through a long corridor lit up with twinkling blue lights leading you to the main attractions. Aside from the vivid light projections on the ground and a rainbow-coloured Christmas tree, you’ll also come across the Aurora Forest with glowing trees and laser-lit mists. This particular attraction puts on regular five-minute light shows synchronised to music. 

The Wa no Kirameki area, on the other hand, occupies the centre of the racecourse. Here, a colourful water fountain becomes the centre of an aurora light display synchronised to music. There's also an illuminated cherry blossom tunnel, a large trellis of artificial wisteria all decked out with pink and purple lights, plus an illumination recreating a typical Japanese rural landscape complete with paddy fields and a stream.

What's more, with this event taking place at a racecourse, you can even pet and take photos with real horses.

Note: The illuminations are closed on November 10-14, December 24-31 & January 1 2026.

Osaki's annual Meguro River Minna no Illumi event has found a novel solution to the issue of massive energy consumption during Japan’s winter illuminations season. Resembling winter cherry blossoms, the pink LED used in the light-up are all powered by biodiesel electricity generated using waste oil collected from local homes and restaurants.

The eco-friendly lights illuminate a stretch of the 2.2km-long Meguro River near Osaki and Gotanda stations. You can catch this beautiful sight from 5pm to 10.30pm every day from December 5 2025 until January 31 2026.

Check the event website for the event map and more details.

Enoshima’s annual illumination is widely touted as one of the three biggest and most impressive light-up events in Greater Tokyo, alongside the ones at Ashikaga Flower Park and Sagamiko. There are about 10 illumination spots scattered across the hilly island – including the Enoshima Shrine, Ryuren Bell of Love on Lover's Hill and Nakatsumiya Square – so put on some comfortable shoes as you’ll be trekking a lot.

Don’t miss the main attraction located at the island’s iconic Enoshima Sea Candle lighthouse, which is decked out in 70m-long strings of lights stretching from the tip of the tower to the ground, creating a formation similar to the silhouette of Mt Fuji.

The Samuel Cocking Garden, where the Sea Candle is located, is transformed into the dreamy Hoseki (bejewelled) Forest, where everything from the ground and the grass to the trees are covered in purple lights. Keep an eye out for the Shonan Chandelier tunnel, all decked out with luxurious crystal beads and LED lights. New for 2025, the Samuel Cocking Garden will also feature a dazzling sea urchin-inspired installation created by MirrorBowler.

Most attractions are open from 5pm to 8pm (until 9pm on weekends and holidays). You can see some of the light-ups on Enoshima for free, but you will need a ticket (¥500, children ¥250) to enter the Samuel Cocking Garden, which hosts the largest illuminations.

If you're on the island early during daylight hours, head over to Enoshima Iwaya (¥500, children ¥200), as the island's famous cave, created by decades of wave erosion, is bedecked with sparkling lights from 9am to 5pm.

Package tickets, including entrance to Enoshima Sea Candle, Samuel Cocking Garden, and Esca escalators, can be purchased for ¥1,550 (¥750) via Emot.

Winter's no excuse to stay inside. In fact, when the cold starts to creep through the wafer-thin walls and shoddy window frames of Tokyo houses and apartments, rather than trying to hide under a mountain of blankets, you might actually be better off engaging in some outdoor activities. Ice skating is obviously something best experienced out in the open, and quality rinks are popping up all around the city.

Here's our quick guide to the best skating spots out there, including both winter-only rinks and year-round, indoor facilities that are also great places for serious figure skating or ice hockey training. First-timer or seasoned veteran – everyone's welcome, and gear rental is available at most of these places as well.