Here are free things to do happening across Tokyo for the month of October. Check out exhibitions, festivals, events and more!
Exhibitions and Art Shows in October
Mona Sugata: In Between Exhibition
UltraSuperNew Kura art gallery will host an exhibit featuring the work of Mona Sugata, exploring invisible connections between living beings.
| Date & Time | Oct 3-Nov 7・2–7 p.m.・Tuesday–Friday by appointment only, Saturday open to all (11:00 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.), Closed on Sunday and Monday |
| Price | Free |
| Location | UltraSuperNew KURA |
Man Ray, Giant Chess Set, 1961. Installation view, c. 1961. Photo by Jacqueline Hyde.
Take Ninagawa: Man Ray
Take Ninagawa highlights this multidimensional practice with a solo exhibition that centers on one of Man Ray’s most enduring obsessions: the game of chess. Building on recent global retrospectives like the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s 2025–26 showcase, this exhibition explores how chess served not just as a thematic subject, but as a dynamic structural framework for his art — a site where logic, strategy, chance and desire collide.
| Date & Time | Aug 1-Oct 3・11 a.m.–7 p.m.・Closed Sun, Mon and Holidays; Summer holiday closure August 9–17 |
| Price | Free |
| Location | Take Ninagawa |
Ufan Lee, Untitled, 1979. Photo by Nobutada Omote
Lee Ufan: Work on Paper / Sculpture
Scai The Bathhouse is hosting Lee’s first solo gallery show in Tokyo in four years. Bringing together drawings and sculptures from the 1970s through recent years, this show offers a clear entry point into his quiet, contemplative practice across paper and three-dimensional media. You’ll see charcoal and watercolor works on paper, along with pieces from his celebrated Relatum Sculpture series, which place natural river stones beside industrial iron plates.
| Date & Time | Aug 4-Oct 10・12–6 p.m.・Closed Sun, Mon and Holidays, and August 8–17 |
| Price | Free |
| Location | Scai The Bathhouse |
Nigel Cooke, The Island, 2026 © Nigel Cooke
Nigel Cooke: ‘Night Ruins’
Known for his evocative blend of figuration and elemental abstraction, British painter Nigel Cooke brings a series of nocturnal Venetian landscapes to Tokyo for his first solo exhibition in Japan.
| Date & Time | Aug 28-Oct 10・11 a.m.–7 p.m.・Closed Mondays, Open until 6 p.m. Sundays |
| Price | Free |
| Location | Pace Gallery Tokyo |
2k540, HIBIYA OKUROJI, EDO NOREN
Art Arcade Tokyo
Art Arcade Tokyo is an autumn public art event running from September 26 to November 30, across three distinct commercial venues in Tokyo: Hibiya Okuroji, Edo Noren and 2k540 Aki-Oka Artisan.
| Date & Time | Sep 26-Nov 30 |
| Price | Free |
| Location | Hibiya Okuroji, Edo Noren, 2k540 Aki-Oka Artisan |
Festivals and Outdoor Events in October
Shinise Festival & Local Specialty Market 2026
In honor of "Shinise no Hi," a day that celebrates long-established businesses, the Shinise Festival will be held in the Nihonbashi area.
| Date & Time | Oct 3, 2026・10 a.m.–6 p.m. |
| Price | Free |
| Location | Mitsui Fukutoku Garden and Nomura Conference Plaza |
| More Info | Food and drink coins start at ¥3000 |
Asakusa Hanayashiki Kimono Festival
Asakusa Hanayashiki, Japan's oldest amusement park, will be offering free admission for guests wearing kimono.
| Date & Time | Sep 2-Oct 31・10 a.m.–6 p.m.・Last entry at 5:30 p.m. |
| Price | Free |
| Location | Asakusa Hanayashiki |
Sea Paradise Fireworks Symphony
Yokohama Sea Paradise's nightly summer fireworks show with music and various areas to enjoy the show with food and drinks.
| Date & Time | May 30, 2026-Mar 21, 2027・Until September: show starts at 8:30 p.m. | From October onwards: show starts at 8:00 p.m. |
| Price | Free |
| Location | Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise |
| More Info | Premium paid seating is available |
Live Music and Night Life Events in October
More events coming soon.
Anime and Manga Events in October
More events coming soon.
Community and Performative Events in October
More events coming soon.
Food and Drink Events in October
More events coming soon.
Film, Gaming and Pop Culture Events in October
Heritage Auctions Japan's Pop Culture Auction Exhibition
Showcasing over 500 iconic items valued at more than $15 million, the event features the largest public display of Star Wars lightsabers ever staged — headlined by Darth Vader’s original screen-used hilt from The Empire Strikes Back. Visitors can also view authentic The Walking Dead costumes, ultra-rare Pokémon cards (including a PSA 10 "Shining Mew"), sealed retro video games and sports memorabilia.
| Date & Time | Sep 18-Oct 27・11 a.m.–6:30 p.m.・Closed on Mondays and National Holidays |
| Price | Free |
| Location | Heritage Auctions Pop-Up Exhibit |
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