Things To Do in Japan: August 2026
A citywide matsuri comes indoors for the first time, English Rakugo returns to Asakusa, and Ryukyu performing arts mark the rebuilding of Shuri Castle.
This August, we're featuring an event for the first time: MATSURI JAPAN 2026, a two-day festival bringing regional matsuri performances, food, and drink from across the country to one Tokyo venue. Beyond that headline event, the month is full of hands-on culture: an English-guided Zen tea ceremony in Kyoto, a Kintsugi pottery-repair class in Nagatacho, and two English Rakugo shows in Asakusa. Head to Osaka for a 25th-anniversary woodcraft workshop and a cyanotype sun-printing class, or go further afield for the World Cosplay Summit in Nagoya and a rare night of Ryukyu court performing arts in Naha.
⭐ FEATURED EVENT
MATSURI JAPAN 2026
Saturday–Sunday, August 8–9 · 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM
TAKANAWA GATEWAY Convention Center, Minato · Early-bird adult ticket was ¥1,500 (includes 1 drink)
MATSURI JAPAN is back for its second year, two days only, bringing festivals and traditional performing arts from across Japan into one Tokyo venue. See, eat, drink, dance, and meet new people — a festival experience that lets you feel the charm of Japan with all five senses.
On the MATSURI STAGE, watch powerful dances, drumming, and lion dances passed down in different regions, including Yosakoi Soran from Hokkaido, Iwami Kagura Tokyo Shachu from Shimane, and Ryukyu Koku Daiko, based on Okinawa's traditional Eisa dance. Performing groups differ each day.
At THE YATAI, Happo-en's chefs add their own touch to classic festival street food using ingredients and dishes from across the country. Sample local drinks, craft beer, and MATSURI JAPAN's own collaboration drinks at the "One Drink, One Encounter" corner.
New this year, the JOURNEY TO JAPAN area brings specialty products and hands-on experiences from around the country, so you can discover regional finds that are hard to come by in Tokyo. Round it off with classic festival games like shooting galleries, yo-yo fishing, and jumbo darts, for kids and adults alike.
🗼TOKYO EVENTS
Sounds of Kabuki
Monday, August 3 · 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center, Taito · ¥2,000
Curious about traditional Japanese music? A live introduction to the music of Kabuki Theater, featuring shamisen and traditional percussion, with live performance and cultural insights, perfect for first-time audiences. Performers: Sakio Kineya (shamisen), Takemasa Mochizuki and Mukon Mochizuki (taiko, percussion). Advance reservations are recommended. Limited day-of tickets are cash only.
Grandparents' Countryside Summer Vacation
Saturday, August 1 · 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM
80's Cafe by WeLearn Community, Chiyoda · One-drink order required (from ¥200)
Experience the warmth and nostalgia of a traditional Japanese summer with kendama, ohajiki, otedama, and radio taiso, traditional games that are becoming rare even in Japan. Beginners are most welcome, and English support is available. Come and go anytime between noon and 6 PM.
Beginners Welcome! Let's Play Shogi
Thursday, August 6 or Thursday, August 27 · 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
80's Cafe by WeLearn Community, Chiyoda · One-drink order required (¥200–¥500)
A casual Shogi event for anyone who thinks it looks too difficult to try. Learn how to move the pieces in an easy, step-by-step way, then play a real game together. Complete beginners are more than welcome, and intermediate and advanced players who already know the rules are welcome too. English support is available.
Get tickets: Aug 6 →
Get tickets: Aug 27 →
Let's Bon Odori! in Kamata vol.4
Saturday, August 8 · 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Consumer Life Center, Ota City · Free
This is a Bon Odori practice session with Akari Machi's original songs, some written in English. Bon Odori is a traditional and fun Japanese dance, and first-time dancers are very welcome. This class is for everyone.
Anime Meet Up in Tokyo at Karaoke Bar
Saturday, August 8 · 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Karaoke X, Ikebukuro (West Exit), Toshima · From ¥2,600 (3-hour all-you-can-drink + snacks)
Animers, winner of the Peatix Community Award in the Hobbies & Lifestyle category, hosts a social event at a karaoke bar where anime and manga lovers, both Japanese and international, come together to connect. Sing anisongs, enjoy the music, or just mingle. You can join even if you don't sing. First-timers and solo attendees are especially welcome, and many international members speak English, so you don't need to speak Japanese to join.
Weekend Club: Kintsugi
Saturday, August 8 · 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
MIDORI.so Nagatacho, Chiyoda · ¥5,000 (cash on-site)
In Kintsugi, you can beautifully restore broken pottery yourself, mending broken ceramics with lacquer and adorning the seams with gold or silver. It's said to have begun in the world of tea ceremony during the Muromachi period, when tea culture flourished in Japan. Two methods are offered: synthetic lacquer, completed in one day, and authentic lacquer, which takes longer but offers higher durability and a natural gloss. Bring your own chipped or broken pottery, or use one provided for an additional fee.
The 24th Oedo English Rakugo Show
Sunday, August 9 · Starts 2:00 PM
Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center, Taito · Advance ¥1,800 / Door ¥2,000
Curious about Rakugo in English? Join us for an evening of laughter and culture with five captivating English Rakugo performances, including Faceless Ghost, Moving Home, A Puppet Show, Summer Burglar, and Yawning School. Rakugo is a Japanese traditional art of storytelling with 400 years of history, a treasure trove of laughter, tears, and terror best shared with the world. Whether you're visiting Japan, living here, or simply love cross-cultural experiences, come join us for laughter that bridges languages. Children under 6 are not permitted. Day-of tickets are cash only.
The 29th Bilingual Rakugo Show
Sunday, August 23 · 2:00 PM – 4:15 PM
Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center, Taito · Advance ¥1,800 / Door ¥2,000
Experience Rakugo like never before, each story performed in both Japanese and English. The program includes Scary Hamburgers, Scrivener, Magic, and Tenshiki. Rakugo is a Japanese traditional art of storytelling with 400 years of history, a treasure trove of laughter, tears, and terror best shared with the world, whether you're visiting Japan, living here, or simply love cross-cultural experiences. Advance tickets often sell out. Same-day tickets are available, but early purchase is recommended. Children under 6 are not permitted. Day-of tickets are cash only.
Koizumi Yakumo (Lafcadio Hearn) Gathering II: Storytelling in Japanese and English
Saturday, August 22 · 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Oedo Ryogoku-tei, Sumida · ¥2,500
Program: a talk with Stuart Vernam-Atkin and Kanariya Eiraku, followed by four stories. The Old Woman Who Lost Her Dumpling (Lilith Takahashi x Kanariya Eiraku). The Snow Woman (Lilith Takahashi x Stuart Vernam-Atkin). Abandoned Children (Lilith Takahashi x Stuart Vernam-Atkin). And Floating Necks (Lilith Takahashi x Kanariya Eiraku).
⛩️ KYOTO EVENTS
Kissako Zen and Tea Experience in English
Multiple dates, August 7–29 · approx. 2 hours
Shunkoin Temple, Ukyo Ward · ¥20,000 (+10% tax)
At Shunkoin Temple, Kissako is an invitation to encounter Zen as it is genuinely practiced, through stillness, tea, and attentive presence, within a private temple garden normally closed to the public where Zen practice has been sustained for over four centuries. Guests are personally guided in English by Takafumi Zenryu Kawakami through seated meditation, a cold-infused tea ceremony using traditional utensils from Asahiyaki, Kaikado, and Kanaami-Tsuji, and a reflective dharma talk. Sessions are capped at 11 participants.
🏯 OSAKA EVENTS
Hacoa 25th Anniversary Woodcraft Workshop
Saturday–Sunday, August 29–30 · 11:00 AM or 2:30 PM sessions
Hacoa Direct Store, LUCUA Osaka, Umeda · ¥9,350
A special workshop marking Hacoa's 25th anniversary, rooted in the brand's box-shaped wood-base craftsmanship. Build a mirror from eight pieces of solid walnut wood accented with brass wire, a shape considered auspicious in feng shui for inviting good fortune from all directions. A Hacoa artisan who works on wood-base making every day guides you through the same molds and joinery techniques used in the brand's real products, finishing with a hand-applied beeswax polish. Limited to four participants per session.
Cyanotype Printing Workshop (In English): Make Your Own Sun Prints
Sunday, August 30 · 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Joie Rental Space, Kita Ward · From ¥2,500 (early bird, solo adult)
No camera, no darkroom, just sunlight and pre-treated paper. In this beginner-friendly cyanotype workshop, you'll make your own sun prints using simple chemistry and everyday objects. No experience needed, and the whole session is taught in English. Arrange leaves, flowers, or objects on pre-treated postcards and bookmarks, expose your setup in the sun, then rinse off your paper and watch your print appear.
🗾 BEYOND TOKYO, KYOTO & OSAKA
World Cosplay Summit 2026: World Cosplay Championship
Sunday, August 2 · Doors 2:30 PM, Show 3:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Aichi Prefectural Art Theater, Nagoya · From ¥4,000
One of the world's largest cosplay events, the World Cosplay Summit returns to Nagoya with a record-breaking 42 countries and regions participating in the World Cosplay Championship. Now in its 24th year, cosplayers and cosplay fans who love Japanese pop culture gather here for a new form of international and cultural exchange, drawing more than 200,000 visitors every year.
Shuri Castle Reconstruction Commemorative Ryukyu Performing Arts Night
Saturday–Sunday, August 8–9 · 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Okinawa Prefectural University of the Arts, Naha · See event page for admission details
Two nights of Ryukyu performing arts mark the completion of Shuri Castle's main hall. Night one is a kumiodori program including Nidō Tekiuchi, Chōzu no En, and Shūshin Kanein. Night two brings alumni of the Okinawa Prefectural University of the Arts' Ryukyu Performing Arts program, performing classical Ryukyu dance and music, including Kagiyade Fū and Takabira Manzai.
Get tickets: Aug 8 →
Get tickets: Aug 9 →
Visiting Japan? Peatix connects you to English Rakugo, hands-on craft workshops, once-a-year festivals, and traditional culture experiences that locals attend all over the country.
Follow Peatix on Instagram and TikTok, or visit our website to discover Japan events locals love.
