Sept. 12 (Fri)-14 (Sun): Japanese Festival “omatsuri” (Tokyo Wasshoi) to Take Place in Tokyo in September

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government announced that it will host the -Japanese Festival "omatsuri"- (Tokyo Wasshoi) from September 12 (Fri) to September 14 (Sun) in collaboration with the Arts Council Tokyo. The event will take place on Gyoko-dori Avenue, close to Tokyo Station.

Designed to coincide with the city’s hosting of the World Athletics Championships and Deaflympics in 2025, this event will showcase Tokyo's traditional Edo culture to local and international audiences.
The event will showcase traditional performing arts and the highlights of well-known festivals from Tokyo. It will also feature Edo Culture Experience Booths and a Accessible Viewing Area equipped with sign language interpreters and caption monitors. These features will help create an inclusive environment where language and accessibility barriers are eliminated, allowing Tokyo residents, tourists, and performers to enjoy the festivities together as one.
We would like visitors to take this opportunity to experience Tokyo’s unique and diverse festivals along with the charm and beauty of Edo culture, two qualities which the city will proudly share with the world.

 

Event Outline
Event name: TOKYO FORWARD 2025 Cultural Program Japanese Festival “omatsuri” (Tokyo Wasshoi)
Date: September 12 (Fri) - September 14 (Sun)
Venue: Gyoko-dori Avenue (2-2 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo)
Organizers: Tokyo Metropolitan Government and Arts Council Tokyo (Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture) 
Official website: https://tokyo-wasshoi.jp/eng/index.html

 

Venue Overview
A special stage and yagura (traditional tower) will be set up on Gyoko-dori Avenue, which stretches from Tokyo Station to the Imperial Palace grounds, showcasing a diverse range of by performing arts groups, including those from Tokyo’s unique festivals as well as those from across Japan.

 

Edo Culture Experience Booths (as currently planned)
•Mikoshi Experience: Put on a traditional happi coat and pose as if you are carrying a mikoshi (portable shrine) for a commemorative photo.
•Hachimaki Experience: Embrace the festive spirit by wearing a hachimaki (traditional festival headband) as you explore the event venue.
•Origami Experience: Try your hand at the traditional Japanese paper-folding art of origami, a pastime cherished since before the Edo period. Guests will be welcome to take their completed creations home.
•Kago Ride Experience: Take a step back in time and experience daily life as it was in the Edo period; ride in a traditional kago (palanquin) and have your photo taken.

 

Performing Groups (performers and program content are subject to change)
•Edo Shobo Kinenkai (Edo Fire Brigade Memorial Association)
The traditional work song “Edo no Tobikiyari,” created by Edo town firefighters over 300 years ago and the acrobatic performance “Edohikesi no Hasigonori” have both been designated Intangible Folk Cultural Properties by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. The Edo Shobo Kinenkai is dedicated to the continuous preservation and sharing of these historical and cultural traditions.
•Other Performing Groups
・Asakusa Shrine’s Binzasara Kai
・Iwamikagura Tokyo Project
・Oedo Sukeroku Taiko　Oedo Sukeroku-ryū Tokyo deaf Taiko Club KOYUH-KAI
・Gyozanryu Yamaguchiha Kakinaizawa Shishiodori　Kakinaizawa Shishiodori Tokyo Branch
・Joint Team from Koenji Awa Odori Association
・The Japanese Folk Dance Federation Of Tokyo
・Tokyo Yosakoi Team Sun
・Futagoryu Tokyo Onikenbai
・The Association for the Preservation of Ho-oh no mai
・Matsumoto Gennosuke Shachu
・Mizudomemai Hozon Kyoryokukai
・Ryukyu Budan Shoryu Matsuri Daiko

In addition to the groups listed above, various other festival and performing arts groups from across Tokyo are scheduled to participate. For the latest updates, please visit https://tokyo-wasshoi.jp/eng/index.html.

 

TOKYO FORWARD 2025 Cultural Program
In 2025, as Tokyo hosts the World Athletics Championships and the Deaflympics, the TOKYO FORWARD 2025 Cultural Program will be launched as a new initiative that carries forward and builds upon the cultural legacy of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic & Paralympic Games. Through three distinct art projects, the program will highlight the vibrancy of Tokyo’s arts and culture scene, promote inclusivity, and enhance the excitement of both sporting events through the power of artistic expression.

 

Photos (from the left):
1. Japanese Festival "omatsuri" (Tokyo Wasshoi)
2. Highlights from last year's pre-event_1
3. Highlights from last year's pre-event_2
4. Highlights from last year's pre-event_3
5. Venue Image & Area Map
6. Edo Shobo Kinenkai_1
7. Edo Shobo Kinenkai_2
8. Edo Shobo Kinenkai_3