Tokyo January 2026 Events, Festivals and Concerts

Visiting Tokyo in January? Lucky you! From the national sumo wrestling tournament in Ryogoku to sake festivals, there are many wonderful Tokyo January events and festivals.

Take part in Tokyo New Year’s temple celebrations (‘Hatsumōde’) or wander through a wide array of winter illuminations – we’re excited to share epic events in Tokyo in January 2026.

Religious and temple festivals in Tokyo in January 2026 include the Daikon Radish Festival at Matsuchiyama Shoden and the Torigoe Shrine Tondoyaki Bonfire.

Tokyo January concert highlights include BLACKPINK, Lady Gaga and the Pet Shop Boys plus January festivals include Rockin’on Sonic and GMO Sonic (in Chiba).

Here is our pick of the best Tokyo events in January 2026.

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Check out our other monthly Tokyo events guides and festivals, or Tokyo’s best immersive events with prices.

Please note there are no New Year’s Eve Fireworks in Tokyo and New Year’s Day is a Japan national holiday.

A reminder that the once annual and famous Shibuya Crossing New Year Countdown is still cancelled and the famous Hachiko dog statue will still be boarded up on 1 January 2026.

The main event / festival in Tokyo on New Year’s day is called ‘Hatsumōde’ (New Year Shrine Visits).

Families attend Tokyo temples like Meguro Fudoson across the first week of January (mainly 1 to 3 January) and take time to worship and pray for success, prosperity and health, as well as giving thanks / offerings for the new year ahead.

On New Year’s Day, Meiji Jingu 明治神宮 shrine is also a popular place to worship, as the traditional Taiko drums sound from midnight along with a ceremony.

We visited Meiji Jingu one New Year’s Day (1 January) and the queue to get in and pay our respects was huge. Honestly, allow at least an hour or two to get in if you arrive after mid morning.

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Sumo Wrestling is a BIG sport in Japan (literally) and no trip to Japan is complete without purchasing tickets for a Tokyo sumo wrestling match at the Ryogoku Kokugikan National Sumo Arena.

There are only six such tournaments a year, with three held in Tokyo (usually in January, May and September).

All of the Tokyo sumo wrestling bouts and Grand Tournaments are held in the Ryogoku district. We went to a national sumo wrestling tournament in Tokyo recently and it has to be one of our top 5 experiences in Japan of all time (up there with the snow monkeys).

From what to expect at a sumo tournament to sumo ticket prices in Japan, here is our ultimate guide to buying sumo wrestling Tokyo tickets in 2026 >

Tickets for the Tokyo sumo wrestling January 2026 tournament went on sale from 6 December 2025 and have now sold out. However you can buy more expensive sumo tournament packages on websites like Viator, Klook or GetYourGuide.

You might also like our guide to 10+ sumo wrestling activities in Tokyo >

Yes, you read that right – in addition to the more famous Asakusa annual Sanja Matsuri festival, there is a lesser known daikon radish festival held every 7 January at Matsuchiyama Shoden.

We were lucky enough to catch the Daikon Radish festival one January afternoon whereby worshippers gift daikon radishes to the deity Shōden.

Hundreds of radishes are left in the main hall at Matsuchiyama Shoden, culminating in them being chopped up, served with miso and given back to locals.

The Tokyo Daikon Radish festival at Matsuchiyama Shoden lasts one day (7 January) and we also witnessed a traditional dance show and puppetry performances. The daikon radish festival is free to attend.

We include Tokyo’s January radish festival in our weird, wonderful and unusual things to do in Tokyo guide >

If you are staying in Asakusa, the day after the radish festival, head to the Torigoe Shrine Tondoyaki Bonfire also held in Asakusa and taking place on the 8 January every year.

Locals attend this unique temple ceremony (usually early afternoon) and burn their old trinkets and decorations, to see in the new year – kind of like spring cleaning but a lot more smoky!

Local kids also roast mochi around the fire, singing “Tondo ya, Tondo” and sweep with bamboo brushes, to hopefully bring good luck for the year ahead. Just make sure you don’t burn your mochi as that is bad luck!

Kanpai to the first Tokyo sake festival of the New Year, held in Yoyogi Park B District Event Square from 10am to 7pm.

Try sakes from all over Japan, in conjunction with a chanko nabe / sumo stew hotpot festival that takes place at the same time – take my money now!

During this 3 day January Tokyo festival, a daily live tuna carving takes place so enjoy sashimi and sake on a wonderful winter’s day.

Find out more at the official site >

One of Tokyo’s biggest Christmas lights and winter illumination events, tickets are now on sale for the Tokyo Mega Illumination lights >

Visitors to the Christmas Tokyo Mega Illuminations at Oi racecourse can enjoy various winter illuminations such as a fountain show synchronized to music, the Northern Lights / Aurora Borealis display, a huge 100-meter Christmas light tunnel plus you can see tiny miniature horses.

We think it is easily one of the best winter illumination displays in the city still on in January and well worth the small entry free – check out our guide to the Tokyo Mega Illuminations here >

An annual Tokyo Christmas tradition, the Tokyo Midtown Christmas ice-skating rink and winter illuminations has popped up every winter for over 15 years and is a n-’ice’ thing to do!

It is one of the biggest outdoor Christmas skating rinks in Tokyo with ice-skating sessions available daily from 11am to 9pm.

If you don’t like skating or would rather just enjoy the winter lights, Hinochiko Park next door plays host to a massive winter illumination trail which is free to visit.

Read our Tokyo Midtown Illuminations and skating guide >

A very merry Christmas awaits in Marunouchi’s Nakadori Avenue – see over 1 million LED lights strung into the trees in this famous shopping area near Ginza in downtown Tokyo.

Until 4 January 2026, Tokyo Marunouchi Christmas Disney themed lights are some of the best Christmas lights in Tokyo to visit. The outdoor Marunouchi Winter Illuminations stay on later until 15 February 2026.

Read our guide to the Marunouchi illuminations >

Pet Shop Boys
6 January 2026 at Tokyo Garden Theater

BLACKPINK
16 to 18 January 2026 at Tokyo Dome

GMO Sonic with Afrojack and Steve Aoki
17 January 2026 at Makuhari Messe International Exhibition Hall (Chiba)

Bryan Adams
26 January 2026 at Nippon Budokan

Lady Gaga
25, 26, 29 and 30 January 2026 at Tokyo Dome

Babymetal
10 and 11 January 2026 at Saitama Super Arena

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