Best Things To Do in Japan: April 2026

Events we’re excited about this month. Grab your spot.

April is peak cherry blossom season, and events across Japan match the energy. This month brings 130 sake breweries to Roppongi Hills, English rakugo in Asakusa, chopstick crafting in Omotesando, fragrance art in a Kyoto machiya, and a 3-day farmhouse gathering in the mountains north of Kyoto. From anime meetups to Buddhist temple cuisine, April shows Japan where centuries of tradition and contemporary culture share the same calendar.

🗼TOKYO EVENTS

Ginza Natsuno Chopstick Craft Experience

Daily, April 1 — May 18 | 8 sessions from 10:30 AM to 6:30 PM | 60 minutes
Ginza Natsuno, 1F Aoyama R Natsuno Building, 4–2–17 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku (3-min walk from Omotesando Station, Exit A2)

Craft your own original chopsticks using a traditional hand plane (kanna) while enjoying the natural fragrance of wood. Even if it is your first time using a hand plane, staff will guide you carefully. The workshop flow: select your wood, shape your chopsticks using a kanna, smooth and refine with sandpaper, finish with an oil coating. Optional name engraving available (JPY 550). Premium wood upgrades available at the store. Take your chopsticks home the same day. Up to 10 participants per session. English-speaking staff are always available. Elementary school children must be accompanied by an adult. Aprons and gloves are provided.

JPY 3,300 | Get tickets →

Anime Meetup in Tokyo at Karaoke Bar

April 4 & 18, 5:00 PM — 8:00 PM | Karaoke Hundred, Ikebukuro West Exit (1-min walk from station), 3F

A social event at a karaoke bar where anime and manga lovers, both Japanese and international, come together. Sing anisongs, enjoy music, or mingle without singing. First-timers and solo attendees are welcome. Usually 30 to 40 participants per event. Name tags and icebreaker games help everyone feel at home. Many international members speak English; Japanese-speaking foreigners also attend. Animers is a Peatix Community Award-winning group with over 3,000 members, founded in 2018. 3 hours all-you-can-drink plus snacks included. Limited to 40 tickets. Tickets are non-refundable.

From JPY 2,600 | Get tickets →

Live Music & Art Night at Tokyo Art Tank Vol. 15

April 10, 8:00 PM — 11:00 PM | Gallery Conceal Shibuya, Dogenzaka 1–11–4, 4F

The first main night of Tokyo Art Tank Vol. 15. All 35 featured artists will be in attendance, giving you a rare opportunity to see their newest works firsthand and connect directly with the creative minds behind them. Live house and acoustic sets performed by two of Tokyo’s independent bands: Stuck in Skin Collective and Thrice Upon a Time. Surrounded by new artwork, crafted food, and locally made drinks, the gallery transforms into a celebration of creativity, culture, and community.

Free | Reserve spot →

Beyond the Brush: Expressive Calligraphy & Meta-Cognitive Art

April 11, 10:30 AM — 12:15 PM | TIME SHARING Shinjuku Gyoenmae, 10F Room 1001

An English-language workshop that combines calligraphy with mindful self-expression. This is not a traditional calligraphy class. Use traditional brushes, flowers, stones, and sponges as sensory tools. Practice mindful breathing exercises to calm the mind. Write in Japanese Kanji, Chinese, or English. A quiet, supportive environment designed as a safe space. Fee includes all materials and one art piece to take home. Follow @artbondtokyo on Instagram for a JPY 1,000 off promo code.

JPY 6,500 | Book spot →

Tokyo Diorama Exhibition 2026

April 11–12 | Theater 1010, 11F Gallery, Adachi-ku (directly connected to Kita-Senju Station)
April 11: 12:00–18:00 | April 12: 10:00–17:00

A diorama exhibition showcasing real locations in Tokyo and across Japan. Exhibits include Tokyo Station, Shibuya Scramble Crossing, Nakagin Capsule Tower, and a full N-gauge reproduction of the Yamanote Line loop. A new pro modeler section debuts this year. The travel area features railway and bus route dioramas from across Japan. Activities include a road stamp rally and diorama-making workshops (April 11 only, separate reservation required). Advance reservation with designated entry time is required. No same-day tickets sold at the venue. Photos and videos are allowed.

JPY 2,500 (adults) | Get tickets →

The 16th English Rakugo Wonderland

April 12, 2:00 PM — 4:00 PM | Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center, 2–18–9 Kaminarimon, Taito-ku

Six English Rakugo performances in one afternoon. Rakugo is a Japanese traditional art of storytelling with 400 years of history. Performers include Koraku, Meisa, Jobe, Mr.K, Suiren, Ponyo, and Goose, with pieces ranging from classic stories like Jugemu and The Eel Restaurant to comedy routines. Whether you’re visiting Japan, living here, or love cross-cultural experiences, come join for laughter that bridges languages. Children under 6 are not allowed. Same-day tickets available at the venue (cash only) even after Peatix sales end.

JPY 1,000 | Get tickets →

CRAFT SAKE WEEK 2026 with OMAKASE byGMO at Roppongi Hills

April 17–29 | Roppongi Hills Arena, 6–10–1 Roppongi, Minato-ku
Weekdays 15:00–22:00 | Weekends/Holidays 12:00–21:00

An event where you enjoy sake from 130 of Japan’s finest breweries, organized by Hidetoshi Nakata, who has visited over 450 sake breweries. Held over 13 days. 10 breweries are featured each day. 20 restaurants participate, including Michelin-starred restaurants and popular spots that are typically difficult to reserve. Purchase a CRAFT SAKE Starter Set, then use the event coins to buy sake and food. Same-day tickets are available at the venue every day. Both sake and dishes are available in limited quantities, so visiting early is recommended.

From JPY 4,800 | Get tickets →

Nouvelle Shojin Ryori: Live Kitchen with Kunie Hasutani

April 21 | Lunch 10:30 AM — 1:00 PM, Dinner 6:00 PM — 8:30 PM | KLASS, Sendagi 3–34–10, Bunkyo-ku

A live cooking class led by Kunie Hasutani, who has preserved the tradition of Shojin Ryori (Buddhist temple cuisine) passed down through generations at a historic temple north of Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture. This session runs like a jazz session: bring your own vegetables and Kunie will improvise dishes on the spot using seasonal ingredients. Join for the cooking process or arrive for the meal only (lunch: noon, dinner: 7:30 PM). The class is designed to be enjoyed even without an English interpreter. Bring writing utensils and an apron. Capacity: 15 people. Children are welcome but no childcare is provided.

JPY 4,500 | Book spot →

Matcha Workshop for Beginners at ATELIER MATCHA

April 25 | Sessions at 13:00, 15:00, 17:00 | 90 minutes
ATELIER MATCHA, Ginza 8–18–4, Chuo-ku

Make matcha and matcha lattes using recipes from a popular matcha cafe in Tokyo. Compare different matcha varieties. The 90-minute program covers: what is matcha and how it is made, types of matcha and how to distinguish them, whisking matcha by hand, and making a matcha latte. Includes a seasonal Japanese sweet (nama-gashi) made by Ginza Seigetsudo. Beginners welcome. Participants must be 12 years or older. Arrive 5 minutes before start time. Cancellations accepted until 2:00 PM the day before; cancellations after that incur a JPY 500 fee.

JPY 3,500 | Book spot →

⛩️ KYOTO EVENTS

CAFE: Contemporary Art Fragrance Exhibition

April 23–26 | oneroom29, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto (restored machiya townhouse)

An experimental and interactive exhibition that approaches fragrance as contemporary art. Set inside a restored Kyoto machiya townhouse, the exhibition reconfigures a domestic living, dining, and kitchen space into a cafe-like environment where cafe fare and perfume symbolically exchange roles. Fragrances are presented on the counter, scents appear on the menu, and visitors choose, sit, and stay with a fragrance. Featuring olfactory works by perfume artists across six countries. Curated by Naoko Kusunoki and Nadia Vitlin. Two ticket options: Degustation (JPY 8,000, guided experience with artist commentary, includes 2ml discovery set, 8 spots per session, advance reservation only) or A la carte (JPY 500 entry, order scent strips at JPY 200 each or 2ml bottles at JPY 1,000 each, 4 spots per session, walk-ins possible if space allows).

From JPY 500 | Reserve spot →

Minka Summit 2026

April 24–26 | Hanase Resort Park (Sanson Toshi Koryu no Mori), 250 Hanaseyamasuchi-cho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto
90 minutes by car from Kyoto Station

The fifth-year anniversary of the original international grass-roots minka event, presented by Kominka Japan. Held in Hanase, a minka-filled village in the mountains north of Kyoto. A 3-day event celebrating minka (traditional wooden Japanese farmhouses) and machiya, coupled with the charms of inaka, Japan’s rural countryside.

Keynote speaker Jeff Berglund also hosts a special tour of his Edo-period machiya along the Kamo River. Special guest Tassin Shima discusses the restoration of her 160-year-old minka in the mountains. Other speakers include Paul Fradalé (traditional gardens), Chuck Kayser (organic farming), and Tim Smith (going solar).

Special programs include an optional lunch at the Michelin-starred Meiji-era Miyamasou (JPY 5,400) and “Minka from A-to-Z,” an immersive course for those searching for a minka. The Saturday Night Dinner & Keynote Speech is limited to 115 persons and typically sells out months ahead. All events are in English and/or Japanese with simultaneous translation.

Whether you are a foreign resident, Japanese, or visiting Japan, and whether you are considering buying a minka or in the midst of renovating, Minka Summit 2026 has something for you.

JPY 6,000 (3-day pass) / JPY 3,000 (1-day) | Get tickets →

🗾 EVENTS IN OTHER CITIES

Sky Lantern & Cosplay Event at Daishi Park

April 11 | Shinshu-en (Chinese Garden), Daishi Park, 1 Daishi Koen, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki

The first event held at Kawasaki’s Daishi Park. Sky lanterns and illumination inside Shinshu-en, a Chinese-style strolling garden, during peony season. Hand-held sky lanterns and lanterns floating on the garden pond, with LED illumination lighting up the garden’s traditional buildings.

Cosplay photography sessions run during the day with four time-slot options. A daytime and evening marche with food trucks is open to all without reservation. Lantern & Illumination runs in two sessions: A Course 18:00–19:00 and B Course 19:15–20:15, each limited to 60 people, with one sky lantern included per basic ticket. Cosplay participants receive a JPY 1,500 discount on the lantern course. All payment is cash only at the park management office. Rain date: April 12.

JPY 5,500 (lantern course) | Reserve spot →

Forestory by ATOY: THE INVISIBLE STRUCTURE

April 11, 10:30 AM — 5:30 PM | Common Nexus BRANCH 6 & 7, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya

An immersive scent installation. Forestory by ATOY treats fragrance as an element that structures space. The theme is “Monochrome: White and Black Structure.” Walk between two rooms: White Structure (BRANCH 7), where a light scent spreads through the air and makes the space feel wider, and Black Structure (BRANCH 6), where a dense scent brings quiet weight and draws attention inward. All scents are made from upcycled unused forest resources. Free entry, come and go freely.

Free | Reserve spot →

Visiting Japan? Peatix connects you to traditional craft workshops, community photo walks, digital art exhibitions, and cosplay festivals that locals and visitors attend.

Follow Peatix on Instagram and TikTok, or visit our website to discover Japan events locals love.