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Tokyo Events This Week: Meiji Shrine Grand Festival, Ōme Grand Festival, and More
What's a Cheapo to do this week?
Tokyo Cheapo
April 27, 2026
Tokyo events for Monday, April 27, to Sunday, May 3, 2026.
Golden Week kicks off with some of our favorite events on the annual festival calendar. Big ones to check out this week include the Meiji Shrine Spring Grand Festival, the Ōme Grand Festival, and the Kasukabe Giant Kite Festival. There’s also plenty of food and cultural celebrations, music, and flower fests to keep you busy over the break.
Apr 16th - 30th
Located in Ginza, Sumo Live Restaurant Hirakuza is a two-hour dinner show combining live sumo, sake, and Japanese cuisine. Lucky audience members may be selected to participate in a sumo challenge.
May 2nd - 3rd
This traditional festival features twelve giant wheeled floats known as dashi, each representing one of the neighborhoods of the city of Ōme in far western Tokyo. The festival has a history of more than 100 years and draws 130,000 visitors each year.
May 2nd - 3rd
The festival takes place on May 2 and 3 each year and features an impressive lineup of traditional performing arts presentations, led by masters in the field. The festival will set up a stage in front of the main shrine.
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May 3rd
A large koinobori carp-shaped wind sock will be hoisted twice, with stage shows in between and after. There will be drums, music, stage shows, a ceremony, and speeches from the mayor.
May 3rd
The Odawara Hōjō Godai celebrates the legacy of the Hōjō clan, a prominent samurai family that ruled over the region in the 15th century. Almost 2,000 people will parade through the streets of Odawara, emulating the Hōjō lords of the past.
Apr 27th
A fireworks display that lasts for around 5 minutes will set off from Osanbashi Pier or/and Shinko Pier, depending on the date. A great viewing spot is Yamashita Park.
Apr 29th
Watch as local construction workers perform acrobatics on bamboo ladders. As the spiritual descendants of the firemen of Edo, they perform as a memorial to the 120 firefighters (including those in the metropolitan police) who died between the Edo and Showa periods.
May 3rd - 5th
The Kasukabe Giant Kite Festival, held every year on May 3 and 5, is a beloved tradition where local residents and kite enthusiasts gather to witness giant kites take to the sky.
May 3rd - 4th
See singers and dancers take over the stage at Yoyogi Events Square, chow down on delicious Cambodian delicacies like Num Banhchok at the food stalls, and don’t forget to have a good time.
Apr 17th - 29th
Over 100 sake breweries from across Japan will be serving original sake, some of which are limited edition. There will also be several restaurants, including some that are rather difficult to reserve, bringing signature dishes for you to enjoy alongside your sake.
May 2nd - 4th
Tokyo River Friends organizes regular litter-picking events on the banks of the Arakawa and Edogawa rivers. No reservation required — just show up at the appointed meeting spot.
May 2nd - 5th
One of the country’s most relaxed multi-day music festival experiences, Japan Jam has been held at Soga Sports Park in Chiba since 2017. Major artists on this year’s lineup include Creepy Nuts, Asian Kung-Fu Generation, M!LK, and Paledusk.
May 2nd - 6th
This annual event celebrates many aspects of Okinawan culture — including local cuisine, live music, Okinawan traditional art performances, and souvenirs. Usually, around 200,000 visitors attend over the four-day period. This year, there will be a record of more than 100 mouthwatering food and beverage stalls gathered around La Cittadella.
Apr 29th - May 6th
Who doesn’t love gyoza? Meaty, juicy parcels of goodness. Sample from the very best of Japan’s dumplings — be they steamed, fried, boiled, or grilled — at this year’s Craft Gyoza Festival in Komazawa Olympic Park Central Square.
Apr 4th - 30th
During the annual Kameido Tenjin Wisteria Festival, the wisteria is illuminated after dusk (during the height of the season). Although the festival dates are fixed, the wisteria doesn’t always play along.
Apr 1st - 30th
The best time to see the flowers is around mid-April, and you can keep up to date with the flowering status on Nezu Shrine’s Instagram. There are food and drink stalls, a market, and performances.
May 2nd - 4th
This Yokohama Flower and Garden Festival showcases a stunning array of floral displays and innovative gardening techniques. There will be dreamy rose displays — including trending Yokohama varieties and French favorites — and even Japan’s top cut rose competition.