Japan Matsuri, a free festival centred around Japanese culture and food, is back in Trafalgar Square this October.
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 2024, it takes place on Sunday 6 October, with its usual bonanza of stalls, workshops, demos, live music and dance. What's more, the vast majority of things here are FREE.
Details for 2024's festival are TBC, but previous outings from Japan Matsuri have included:
- Traditional taiko drumming, and a mikoshi procession, which involves a shrine with a phoenix on top, ceremonially carried around the Square
- An anime cosplay catwalk
- Radio Taiso exercise routines
- Martial arts demonstrations and workshops you can join in with
- A ton of food stalls, with dishes including bao buns, matcha latte, rice balls, mochi, noodles, karage fried chicken and katsu curry
- Games and info on the Japanese language from Japan Foundation
- A chance to try furoshiki wrapping, kimono headbands and origami earrings
- 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 6 October, free
