MATSURI JAPAN 2026: Experience Festivals and Food Indoors on August 8th & 9th

Happoen Co., Ltd. (President and CEO: Yoshinori Inoue, Minato-ku, Tokyo, hereinafter 'Happoen') will host the 'MATSURI JAPAN 2026 Produced by HAPPO-EN' event (hereinafter 'MATSURI JAPAN 2026') on August 8th (Sat) and 9th (Sun), 2026, at the TAKANAWA GATEWAY Convention Center LINKPILLAR Hall.

◾️ Following last year's event with approximately 2,300 attendees, this year's festival event will be held in August! Enjoy various festivals indoors to escape the summer heat, just a 1-minute walk from the station.

Since 2018, Happoen has been organizing 'MATSURI JAPAN,' an event where performers from various festivals across Japan gather to showcase the charm of Japanese festival culture and regional food, allowing visitors to experience them with all five senses. In June 2025, as part of the opening event for TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY, directly connected to Takanawa Gateway Station, the event was held for the first time at the TAKANAWA GATEWAY Convention Center LINKPILLAR Hall. The event attracted approximately 2,300 visitors over two days, offering a 'new festival experience' through diverse content from the Takanawa area, where people and cultures from Japan and abroad intersect.

This year's 'MATSURI JAPAN' will be held on August 8th (Sat) and 9th (Sun), 2026, during the peak of summer. In addition to enjoying the dynamic dances and drumming performances of festival performers from various regions, visitors can experience the charm of regional food through 'THE YATAI,' where local ingredients and food culture are incorporated into stall food arranged by Happoen chefs. They can also enjoy special encounters with drinks at 'Ichihai Ichie,' featuring local drinks, craft beers, and event-exclusive collaborative drinks. Furthermore, 'JOURNEY TO JAPAN,' a booth featuring products from local governments with which Happoen has collaboration agreements, will be held for the first time this year.

In April of this year, the Japan Meteorological Agency designated days with a maximum temperature of 40 degrees or higher as 'extremely hot days,' highlighting the severity of summer heat in recent years. Like last year, the venue for 'MATSURI JAPAN 2026' is the TAKANAWA GATEWAY Convention Center LINKPILLAR Hall, just a 1-minute walk from Takanawa Gateway Station. Enjoy festival stalls and street food in the cool indoor space while experiencing festivals from all over Japan in the city center. See, hear, eat, and touch your way through 'Japan's festivals with all five senses.'

■ Event Overview

・Date: August 8th (Sat) and 9th (Sun), 2026

・Time: 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM each day (Reception and festival area open at 11:30 AM)

・Venue: TAKANAWA GATEWAY Convention Center LINKPILLAR Hall
　(2-21-1 Shiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo) *1-minute walk from Takanawa Gateway Station on the JR Yamanote Line, JR Keihin-Tohoku Line, and Negishi Line

・Event Special Page: https://matsuri-japan.happo-en.com/2026/

・Organizer: Happoen Co., Ltd.

・Co-organizer: East Japan Railway Company

*Note: Event content and prices are subject to change.

■ Participating Local Governments and Sponsoring Companies/PR Partners

▼ Participating Local Governments and Sponsoring Companies

〈Participating Local Governments〉 *In alphabetical order

Matsushige-cho, Tokushima Prefecture / Nasu-Shiobara City, Tochigi Prefecture / Tottori Prefecture / Kagamiishi-cho, Fukushima Prefecture / Miyazaki City, Miyazaki Prefecture / Nagai City, Yamagata Prefecture

〈Sponsoring Companies〉 *In no particular order

SoftBank Robotics Corp. / Maxell Aqua Park Shimbashi / TEAMZ Inc. / Umios Inc. / Nittetsu Kowa Real Estate Co., Ltd. / Shinagawa Yakatabune Funakiyo / Wayo Co., Ltd.

〈Participating Organizations〉

Nasu-no-Gahara Kaitaku Nihon Isan Katsuyo Suishin Kyogikai

(Nasu-Shiobara City, Tochigi Prefecture / Otawara City, Tochigi Prefecture / Yasu City, Tochigi Prefecture / Nasu-cho, Tochigi Prefecture)

▼ PR Partner

Peatix Japan Inc.

■ Ticket Information

※All prices include tax.

※One ticket per person is required for entry to the venue. (Entry to the festival area is free.)

※In addition to the admission ticket, separate tickets are required for food, drinks, and festival use.

※This event is planned to be a standing-style event.

◾️ Online ticket purchase is here

▼ Ticket purchase for August 8th (Sat): https://matsurijapan-0808.peatix.com

▼ Ticket purchase for August 9th (Sun): https://matsurijapan-0809.peatix.com

※You will be redirected to the event and community platform 'Peatix (Peatix).'

◾️【Festival】 Experience overwhelming live performances at the 'MATSURI STAGE' featuring festivals from all over Japan

Festival performers from all over Japan will gather to perform impressive performances that will heat up the venue. In addition to performers who appeared last year, 'MATSURI STAGE' will feature initial appearances at TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY's 'MATSURI JAPAN,' such as Ishin Kagura Tokyo Shachu (Shimane Prefecture) and Shanshan Umabori (Tottori Prefecture), allowing you to experience various traditions and cultures from different regions while in the city center. Please enjoy the overwhelming live experience.

■ Performing Groups *In no particular order

〈Performing on both days〉

YOSAKOI Soran (Hokkaido) / Nagai Kuromatagi Festival (Nagai City, Yamagata Prefecture)

Kendama Performance (Nagai City, Yamagata Prefecture) / Ishin Kagura Tokyo Shachu (Shimane Prefecture) / Eisa (Okinawa Prefecture)

〈Performing on August 8th (Sat)〉

Shanshan Umabori (Tottori Prefecture) / Ryu Odori (Nagasaki Prefecture)

〈Performing on August 9th (Sun)〉

Koenji Awa Odori (Tokyo) / Tokyo Bon Odori (Tokyo)

＜Performing Group Profiles＞

※The actual number of performers may differ

■ [Hokkaido] YOSAKOI Soran Festival

The YOSAKOI Soran Festival was born in 1992 by mixing the 'naruko' from the 'Yosakoi Festival' in Kochi Prefecture with the Hokkaido folk song 'Soran Bushi.' Dancers in colorful costumes, holding naruko, dance dynamically to the melody of Soran Bushi. Approximately 270 teams from all over Japan and abroad participate, attracting 200,000 spectators to this 'early summer tradition of Hokkaido.'

■ [Nagai City, Yamagata Prefecture] Nagai Kuromatagi Festival

The Nagai Kuromatagi Festival is held in Nagai City to pray for a bountiful harvest and household safety. It is also known as the 'Water Festival' because the water of Nagai has been protected by the dragon god 'Kuromatagi' since ancient times. Kuromatagi has a jet-black mask with protruding eyes, a distinctive feature of its pure white mane and mustache covering its face. A large curtain representing waves is attached to the lion's head, and many dancers enter it, revealing numerous feet, earning it the nickname 'Mukade (centipede) Lion.' The sharp sound of teeth clacking and the dynamic, heroic dance are highlights.

■ [Nagai City, Yamagata Prefecture] Kendama Performance

Yamagata Prefecture's Nagai City boasts one of Japan's leading production volumes of competitive kendama.