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Updated: August 23, 2022

In order to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), various facilities around Tokyo may change their operating days or hours. In addition, some events may be canceled or postponed. Please check official facility or event websites for the latest updates and information.

Is September a good time to visit Tokyo?

Yes! This is the month when Tokyo glides from summer to autumn. You can enjoy the best of both worlds with quintessential summer activities, such as fireworks displays, and festivals celebrating the arrival of autumnal plants and foods.

What is the weather like in Tokyo in September?

In early September, the city is still experiencing high heat and humidity. But later in the month the heat relents, and the weather is often very pleasant. The average temperature is 23.3℃ (74℉), with highs of 27.5℃ (81℉) and lows of 20.3℃ (69℉). Partly because typhoons may pass by at this time of year, September is one of Tokyo's wetter months, so bring a waterproof jacket or umbrella. Keep an eye on the news for the latest typhoon information.

Best events, festivals, and other things to do in September

Meguro no Sanma Matsuri (Pacific Saury Festival)

This event—which is part of the larger Meguro Citizens' Festival—is all about Pacific saury ("sanma" in Japanese), a seasonal fish that heralds the arrival of autumn. Around 5,000 of them are charcoal-grilled, garnished with grated daikon and kabosu (a type of citrus fruit), and given away for free! Meguro Citizens' Festival also features many food stalls selling local products from across the country. At the festival square you can enjoy taiko drumming and other performances. And the Kodomo no Hiroba (an area for children) offers fun family activities, which include a giant cardboard maze.

 

Movie Town Chofu's Autumn Fireworks

This famous Kanto region fireworks festival has been around for over 30 years. Since the 1920s, Chofu City has been home to numerous companies connected to film and video production. The city even earned the nickname "Hollywood of the East" in the 1950s. Many movies, television dramas, commercials and more continue to be filmed in the city to this day. This annual event combines music from the movies and fireworks in a special display known as "hanabillusion." The display features around 10,000 fireworks exploding in the night sky above the Tamagawa River.
Movie Town Chofu's Autumn Fireworks
Note: This event will not take place in 2022.

 

Cosmos Festival

This event celebrates cosmos flowers, which are thought of as "autumn cherry blossoms." The festival is held at Showa Kinen Park, which has around 4 million cosmos flowers, spread across 15,000 square meters of fields. You can enjoy cosmos-picking events and workshops.
Cosmos Festival

 

Nezu-jinja Shrine Annual Grand Festival

This festival is said to have originated in 1714, when it was founded by the shogun. One of the biggest events in the country back then, it remains a lively affair with countless stalls and traditional dance performances. Nezu-jinja Shrine's 18th-century buildings deepen a sense of history.
Nezu-jinja Shrine Annual Grand Festival

 

Shinagawa Shukuba-matsuri Festival

Shinagawa was once the first stop on the road connecting Tokyo (then called Edo) and Kyoto. Each September, people celebrate that heritage by dressing up in period costume. You can see Edo-style vendors, newsboys, and a procession of courtesans. This energetic event also features food stalls, firewalking, and taiko drumming.
Shinagawa Shukuba-matsuri Festival
Note: This event will not take place in 2022.

 

Kita City Fireworks Festival

This riverside show sets a dramatic firework display to music. Enjoy the concert-level acoustics and the sight of fireworks being launched right before your eyes. Close to 10,000 fireworks will be fired off into the night sky.
You can see videos of the fireworks on the official festival homepage.

 

Hagi (bush clover) tunnel

Hagi (bush clover) is another flower associated with autumn. One of the best places to see these delicate blooms is Mukojima-Hyakkaen Garden, a beautiful flower garden with over 200 years of history. Every September they create a tunnel of hagi on a 30-meter-long bamboo frame.

 

Fukuro Matsuri (Ikebukuro Festival)

Fukuro Matsuri is held on the west side of Ikebukuro Station. The festival was first held in 1968, when it was centered on a local shopping street. Fukuro Matsuri now attracts tens of thousands of people, with a mikoshi (portable shrine) parade as well as energetic music and dance performances.
Note: This event will not take place in 2022.

 

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden Open-air Noh Performances (Mori no Takigi Noh)

Shinjuku Gyoen hosts the annual Mori no Takigi Noh event sometime between September and October. This event features traditional performances of Noh drama and kyogen (Japanese comedy) in a spectacular garden setting. Flaming torches light the stage. The garden is kept open late for this event, allowing you a rare nighttime glimpse of Shinjuku Gyoen.

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