Japan Matsuri, a free festival centred around Japanese culture and food, is back in Trafalgar Square this September.
Described as the 'best-loved' event of its kind in the UK, Japan Matsuri has been hosted in London since 2009, and Trafalgar Square since 2012. In 2025, it takes place on Sunday 21 September, with its usual bonanza of stalls, workshops, demos, live music and dance.
What's more, the vast majority of things here are FREE.
Happenings for 2025 include:
🍶 A grand opening ceremony, featuring the ceremonial opening of a sake barrel — followed by a mikoshi procession, which involves a shrine with a phoenix on top, carried around the Square.
🥁 Soran Bushi, a traditional festival dance accompanied by traditional taiko drumming from Rikkyo School in England .
🎤 Main stage performances from the likes of anime and videogame choir Ready Singer One; heavy metal shamisen player JERO11; J-pop dup Naomi Suzuki & Seika Itoh; plus plenty more taiko drumming.
🎭 An anime cosplay catwalk.
📻 Radio Taiso exercise routines.
🥋 Martial arts demonstrations and workshops (inc. Kendo, Aikido and Ryukyu Kobujyutsu).
🍣 A ton of food stalls, dishes including bao buns, matcha latte, rice balls, mochi, noodles, karaage fried chicken and katsu curry.
🇯🇵 Stalls from the likes of Central Japan Railway Company, Japan House London, the Japan Society and Nintendo.
🎎 Authentic Japanese prints, greeting cards and bookmarks to buy.
It's thought almost 33,000 Japanese people live in London. Hyper Japan, a paid-for festival, takes place in London each summer.
Japan Matsuri, Trafalgar Square, Sunday 21 September, free
