Tokyo in September : Best Things to Do
What to Do in Tokyo in September

September in Tokyo is one of the best time of the year to travel as you can enjoy the taste of 2 different seasons: summer and autumn! After the boiling hot summer, the temperature is dropping down slowly towards autumn so you can travel around more comfortably with cool breeze. There are still numbers of special summer events continuing through September such as summer dessert buffets and fireworks festival as well as upcoming autumn events such as Halloween and seasonal flowers.
Let’s check out the hottest travel information and the best things to do in Tokyo in September!
1. SUMO Tokyo Basho
Another exciting sports event will be available in Tokyo in September. The ground tournaments of Sumo are held 6 times a year at 4 different cities in Japan including three times in Tokyo: January, May and September. The tournament will be held from mid to late September at Ryogoku Kokugikan stadium.
Click the link below to get exclusive tickets to see the dynamic Sumo battles live!
2. Halloween Events
Halloween became one of the most celebrated events in Japan over the past decade, and numbers of Halloween related events are held during the season. Popular theme parks like Tokyo Disney Resort and Sanrio Puroland host special Halloween events and programs. There are also several street events such as Shibuya Halloween and Ikebukuro Halloween. You can also enjoy various limited-time Halloween theme food and merchandise at many places only this time of the year!
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3. Chofu City Fireworks Festival
In case you have missed fireworks festivals in Tokyo this summer, you can catch up with this late-date fireworks event in September. Chofu Autumn Fireworks (映画のまち調布“秋”花火) is held in early September in Chofu City, the western suburbs of Tokyo, and featuring over 10,000 spectacular fireworks.
Website: https://hanabi.csa.gr.jp/about/chofuhanabi (Japanese)
4. Cosmos Festival at Showa Memorial Park
The largest park in Tokyo, Showa Memorial Park (国営昭和記念公園) displays various kinds of colourful seasnal flowers and plants through the year including cherry blossoms and autumn leaves. From mid September to late October, it’s the best season for cosmos and the Cosmos Festival is held at the park during the season, featuring about 30 kinds of cosmos flowers blooming colourfully. See the link below for more information about Showa Memorial Park!
5. Kinchakuda Red Spider Lily Festival
Higanbana or Manjushage (Red Spider Lily in English) is one of the most beloved iconic autumn flowers in Japan. The Kinchakuda Manjushage Festival (巾着田曼珠沙華まつり) is held annually from mid to late September, offering the spectacular scenery of the Instagram-worthy fiery red flower fields. The venue of the event, Kinchakuda is located in Hidaka City, Saitama Prefecture, which can be accessed within 1 hour from Tokyo.
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6. Kichijoji Autumn Festival
Kichijoji Autumn Festival (吉祥寺秋まつり) is a traditional Japanese style festival held in Tokyo’s one of cool and chic neighbourhoods, Kichijoji in mid September. Around 10 majestic Mikochi (portable shrines) are carried through the streets of Kichijoji, and there will be special events and numbers of food stalls with a great festive atmosphere for 2 days.
Website: https://musashino-kanko.com/musashino-event/kichijoji-akimatsuri2021/ (Japanese)
7. Tokyo Game Show
The most anticipated video game event, Tokyo Game Show (TGS) is held in Tokyo in September annually. The event features the newest video games and the latest technology experiences from numbers of global game-related companies, and offers visitors chances to actually try them out. The first two days of this 4-day event will be for press and business, and the last two days will be open for public.
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8. Meguro Sanma Matsuri
Meguro Sanma Matsuri (目黒のさんま祭り) is an annual event held near Meguro Station, celebrating an arrival of autumn with Pacific Saury (Sanma in Japanese). About 7,000 thousands of charcoal-grilled Sannma are given away for free at this event (, which you may need to be in a very long queue to get one!).
Website: https://shinagawa-kanko.or.jp/event/meguronosanmamatsuri/
9. Dessert Buffets
All-you-can-eat dessert buffet is a great attraction for foodies in Tokyo. Various kinds of dessert buffets are available through the year in Tokyo with different themes and ingredients such as strawberry and Matcha, which are usually hosted by high-end hotels such as ANA InterContinental Tokyo and Hilton Tokyo. This summer, various photo-worthy and delicious dessert buffets using colourful and refreshing fruits have fascinated us and some of them are still available through September.
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Brand-new autumn/Halloween themed dessert buffets will be starting at numbers of venues from September, too! You can enjoy the taste of autumn through various desserts with newly harvested ingredients!
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10. WANO AKARI x HYAKUDAN KAIDAN Illumination Festival

An indoor illumination event, WANO AKARI × HYAKUDAN KAIDAN is held at one of Tokyo’s most prestigious hotels, Hotel Gajoen Tokyo during summer annually from July to September. The event features various traditional and regional Japanese art works and crafts collaborating with light effects.
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▼Going to Tokyo in October??▼
Thanks for reading! Which event in September are you looking forward to most?? For more travel information about travelling in Japan in autumn, please check out these articles below, too!
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