Best Events Japan September 2025

Add to Favorites

Welcome to the latest installment of Voyapon’s series, where we share some of the best under-the-radar events happening throughout Japan. Every month, we give our readers the best events from Hokkaido to Okinawa and everywhere else in between. Find our list, below, of some amazing activities happening in September 2025.

Aichi

In 2025, you will not only encounter art at the acclaimed Setouchi Triennale, but also in Aichi Prefecture.

Aichi Triennale 2025 (September 13 to November 30)

Aichi Triennale 2025 is one of Japan’s most prominent international arts festivals, held across Aichi Prefecture. Known for its interdisciplinary approach, the Triennale blends contemporary visual art, performing arts, film, and music, fostering cross-cultural dialogue and pushing creative boundaries. The 2025 edition will continue its mission to confront global and local issues through experimental art and inclusive programming. With exhibitions and performances staged in museums, public spaces, and alternative venues in Nagoya, Toyohashi, and other cities, the festival encourages engagement with regional identity and history. Artists from Japan and around the world are invited to reflect on themes such as resilience, coexistence, and reimagining the future. Beyond showcasing art, Aichi Triennale serves as a platform for social commentary, offering workshops, symposia, and educational programs. It remains a vital force in both Japan’s and Asia’s contemporary cultural landscape.

When	September 13 – November 30
Where	Aichi Arts Center Seto City Aichi Prefectural Ceramic Museum
Admission Fee	Advance: starting from 1,200 yen Regular: starting from 1,400 yen
Official Website	https://aichitriennale.jp/en/

Tokyo

Culture, cuisine and music awaits visitors to Tokyo in September.

Fashion Freak Show by Jean Paul Gaultier (September 12)

A one-of-a-kind autobiographical entertainment show that fuses music, dance and fashion to depict the turbulent life and creative trajectory of world-renowned fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier as a theatrical work of art, from his childhood to his breakthrough as a top designer. Over 200 actual haute couture garments that adorned the runways of the Paris Collection make a rare appearance. The premiere in Paris in 2018 was well received and nominated for numerous theater awards. The show was further staged in London in 2022, followed by a world tour in 2023, starting with a performance in Tokyo. A shocking, topical work that sent Germany and Portugal into a frenzy in the same year, and Milan, Italy, Spain and Australia in 2024.

This year, it makes a return to Japan by popular demand! Jean Paul Gaultier’s fashion is loved by the world’s top stars. He created new fashion, sometimes in defiance of the times. The show explores his resistance and exploration of fashion beyond stereotypes and gender, his bereavement of his beloved partner, and his breakthrough to become a top designer after overcoming a rough patch in his life. What can you learn from his life?

Enjoy Gaultier’s life, which is full of love for humanity and freedom.

When	September 12
Where	Tokyu Theatre Orb 2-21-1 Shibuya, Tokyo 150-8510
Admission Fee	Starting from 10,000 yen
Official Website	https://fashionfreakshow.jp/

Melbourne Octet at Jiyu Gakuen Myonichikan (September 25)

The Melbourne Octet, founded by mezzo-soprano Helena Ekins, began as a touring ensemble, debuting with a tour of Sweden in 2019 before focusing on Melbourne performances. They have appeared at the Woodend Winter Arts Festival, Ballarat Organs of the Goldfields Festival, Moonee Valley Winter Arts Festival, and at the Australian Digital Concert Hall. Their repertoire spans from 12th-century plainchant to 21st-century jazz, showcasing both historical and contemporary works. Composed of professional singers active in opera, oratorio, and jazz, the Octet combines rich ensemble experience with a passion for eight-part harmony, highlighting rarely heard works and supporting Australian composers and arrangers. The ensemble plays Tokyo’s Jiiyu Gakuen Myonichikan on September 25. 

When	September 25
Where	2-31-3 Nishiikebukuro, Toshima, Tokyo 171-0021
Admission Fee	Starting from 4,500 yen
Official Website	https://jiyu.jp/en/

Andaz Autumn Promotions (September 1 to October 31)

Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills unveils its 2025 autumn menus, celebrating the season with sweet potatoes and other fall ingredients across its venues. The Tavern – Grill & Lounge offers a Sweet Potato Afternoon Tea, a Highball Happy Hour with cocktails like the fig-infused Carmilla Highball, and a refined Autumn Apéritif with seasonal canapés and drinks. At the Rooftop Bar, guests can enjoy Shochu Sour cocktails that blend Japanese teas and shochu. BeBu introduces a truffle-scented Mushroom Cheese Melt Bacon Burger and a Sweet Potato Shake. The Pastry Shop presents the Wind of Autumn collection, featuring treats like fig cheesecake and Shine Muscat shortcake, with a dessert-champagne pairing set. AO Spa & Club offers the Autumn Purification treatment, combining foot soaks, massages, and gold leaf facials to promote seasonal balance. The menus and experiences highlight seasonal produce, creativity, and Japanese elegance across dining and wellness.

When	September 1 – October 31
Where	Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills 1−23−4 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Admission Fee	Price depends on the menu.
Official Website	https://restaurants.andaztokyo.jp/en/special

The Peninsula Tokyo: Autumn-inspired Art  (September 1 to October 30) 

The Peninsula Tokyo will showcase a striking new art installation, The Peninsula Tokyo + Kaede + Art, from September 1 to October 30, celebrating autumn and Japanese tradition. Created by renowned father-and-son artists Shoryu and Yoho Hatoba, the work features two main elements: a custom-designed Kamon (Japanese family emblem) shaped like a maple flower with petals forming the letter “P,” and a large reproduction of a 1592 painting of a maple branch in fiery autumn colors. This seven-by-eleven-meter masterpiece is screened across 112 strips of Japanese washi paper, forming a louvred wall rich in warmth and vibrancy. The Hatobas, third- and fourth-generation artists, skillfully blend the centuries-old Kamon craft — traditionally composed of perfect circles and straight lines—with contemporary design and digital techniques. 

When	September 1 – October 31
Where	1-8-1 Yurakucho, Chiyoda, Tokyo 100-0006
Admission Fee	Free
Official Website	https://www.peninsula.com/en/newsroom/tokyo

Grand Hyatt Tokyo Summer Terrace Dining (Until September 30)

Grand Hyatt Tokyo’s Summer Terrace Dining runs until September 30 offering elegant outdoor experiences on its open‑air terraces, with indoor backup in case of poor weather. Highlights include:

The French Kitchen’s Summer Terrace BBQ (2F): A gourmet Provençal-style barbecue featuring Landaise salad, sirloin, and more. Available 6pm–9:30pm daily. Options range from food‑only (yen 7,480) to unlimited sparkling wine (11,880 yen) or Champagne (16,280 yen) The Oak Door’s Hawaiian BBQ & Beer Garden (6F): Hawaiian‑flavored BBQ and cocktails, 6pm–9:30pm daily. Prices start at 6,600 yen (food-only), 8,800 yen with free-flow sparkling wine, or 11,000 yen with champagne. 

Located in Roppongi, a short walk from the station. These seasonal offerings combine stylish ambience with culinary panache.

When	Until September 30
Where	6-10-3 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Admission Fee	Depends on the menu.
Official Website	https://www.tokyo.grand.hyatt.co.jp/en/restaurants/recommended/beer-garden/

Kanagawa

Looking for a taste of German flair in Japan? Then a visit to Yokohama in September is just the ticket!

Yokohama Oktoberfest (September 26 – October 10)

Yokohama Oktoberfest 2025 takes place at the iconic Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse from September 26 (Fri) to October 13 (Mon, holiday). It features approximately 100 varieties of beer, including rare German imports, local beers, and event-only brews, plus non-alcoholic and other beverage options. Visitors can enjoy a German-style atmosphere under a large tent with beer booths, a beer-garden seating area divided into three brewery zones, and live performances by German bands. A highlight is the exclusive “Fest Beer” co-created with Yokohama Beer brewery and served in a custom Noritake beer mug featuring a playful “Deco Lady” design. Admission is ¥500 for adults (free for children), with additional charges for food, drinks, and glass deposits. 

https://youtu.be/TmptEGDF0-8?si=-Xc9yA3L777-6yaa

When	September 26 – October 10
Where	Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse 1-1 Shinko, Naka, Yokohama, Kanagawa 231-0001
Admission Fee	500 yen Free for middle school students and younger
Official Website	https://www.yokohama-akarenga.jp/oktoberfest/

Tokyo Gendai (September 12-14)

Bringing together some of the best in contemporary art from within Japan and beyond, Tokyo Gendai international art fair is taking place from September 12-14. The third iteration of this celebration of artistic expression will be held at the PACIFICO Yokohama, a 30-minute train ride from Shibuya Station via the Toyoko Line.

The fair will showcase a spectrum of creatives from established artists to emerging talents. The returning Tsubomi ‘Flower Bud’ exhibit shines a light on female Japanese artists who have mastered generations-old crafting techniques, producing exquisite ceramics, glass works, and more.

A first for Tokyo Gendai is the introduction of a curatorial symposium, providing a platform for artists and enthusiasts to debate and discuss contemporary issues surrounding the art scene.

Advance tickets are available online at the Tokyo Gendai website, with concessionary prices available for students and those with disabilities.

When	September 12 – 14
Where	PACIFICO Yokohama 1-1-1, Minato Mirai, Nishi-ku, Yokohama 220-0012
Admission Fee	Starting from 2,250 yen.
Official Website	https://tokyogendai.com/ticket/#ticketprices

Kyoto

Kyoto will become the location for all anime, manga, and wrestling fans in September 2025.

Karasuzumo Wrestling and Choyo Ritual (September 9)

Each year on September 9, Kamigamo Jinja commemorates a pair of distinctive Shinto traditions: the Choyo Ritual (Double-Nine Rite) and Karasuzumo, or “crow sumo wrestling.” At 10am priests process to the Honden (Main Sanctuary) to offer chrysanthemums and offerings to Kamo Wakeikazuchi no Okami — one of the rare rituals where the sanctuary’s doors are opened and a high-ranking priest enters. This rite honors chrysanthemums as symbols of longevity and protection, reflecting practices from the imperial court—including washing with chrysanthemum dew and drinking chrysanthemum-petal sake. Later, in front of the Hosodono Hall and sacred sand cones (tatesuna), two men in white clothing and black caps enact a purification rite by hopping nine times and calling like crows, referencing a legend of a guiding three-legged crow yatagarasu. This leads into Karasuzumo, a sumo contest where neighborhood boys wrestle in teams for the deity and the Saiodai (honorary priestess), embodying a traditional harvest-offering ritual. The event concludes with chrysanthemum sake, poured into cups with petals, believed to bless participants with longevity and good fortune.

When	September 9
Where	Kamo Wakeikazuchi Jinja Shrine (Kamigami Jinja) 339 Kamigamo Motoyama, Kita, Kyoto, 603-8047
Admission Fee	Free
Official Website	https://www.kamigamojinja.jp/en/rituals/karasuzumo-wrestling-and-choyo-ritual/

Kyoto International Anime Manga Fair (September 20-21)

Kyoto International Manga Anime Fair (KYOMAF) 2025 returns on September 20–21 at Miyako Messe, ROHM Theatre Kyoto, and the Kyoto International Manga Museum. The event spans multiple venues, featuring over 60 exhibitors, including companies, creators, and educational institutions in manga, anime, and games. Expect themed booths, a character café, cosplay zone, stage shows, and exclusive merchandise. The fair’s ambassadors are celebrated voice actors Nobuhiko Okamoto and Manaka Iwami, complemented by a promotional visual by Momona Sakura, winner of the Under-25 Creators Contest. 

When	September 20 – 21
Where	Miyako Messe 9-1 Okazaki Seishojicho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto, 606-8343
Admission Fee	Starting from 1,800 yen
Official Website	https://kyomaf.kyoto/en/

Hiroshima

If you want to do some serious exercise, you should visit Hiroshima in September.

Setouchi Journey Walk (September 13-14)

A major walking event will be held in Hiroshima Prefecture! Participants will take on the challenge of completing approximately 120km from Onomichi City to Hiroshima City within 32 hours, aiming for an inspiring finish. At the same time, a 30km course from Kure City to Hiroshima City will also be held! Enjoy breathtaking views of the Seto Inland Sea while experiencing the history and culture of the towns along the route as you walk.

When	September 13 – 14
Where	Onomichi Station
Admission Fee	Starting from 7,000 yen
Official Website	https://setouchi-journeywalk.com/

With sunshine and warm temperatures, September offers a variety of cultural events and activities for visitors and travelers to Japan.

Add to Favorites