Latest Events in Nagoya(September Updated)

The "Aichi-Nagoya Art and Light" event, organized by the Nagoya City Center Art and Light Executive Committee of Aichi Prefecture, will be held daily from September 17 to October 24, 2026. Each evening, the event will run from 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM, and will be held on the west facades of the Aichi Prefectural Government Building and the Nagoya City Hall Building, both designated as Important Cultural Properties of Japan. The event combines the architectural beauty of these important cultural heritage buildings with contemporary digital art. Each program lasts approximately 10 minutes, including about five minutes of digital art projection followed by about five minutes of light show. The programs will be played alternately in the two government buildings, accompanied by sound effects, allowing visitors to experience the performance through both sight and sound.

To celebrate the stunning beauty of the Mid-Autumn Moon, Shirotori Gardens hosts a tea ceremony beginning in the evening, allowing visitors to fully appreciate the enchanting beauty of the moon. Because the event takes place at night, Shirotori Gardens' hours are extended late into the night. The Seiutei teahouse was originally built for moon viewing, and during the Mid-Autumn Festival, it perfectly fulfills this desire. The teahouse serves as the venue for these moon-viewing tea ceremonies, showcasing the moon's extraordinary beauty. Take a leisurely stroll through a traditional Japanese garden. The pond in the center of the garden imitates the scenery of the Kiso River. The Kiso River originates from Mt. Kiso Ontake and flows into Ise Bay. Within the gardens is a Japanese teahouse called "Seitei," where you can enjoy matcha and Japanese sweets.

The historic town of Arimatsu in Nagoya hosts the Arimatsu Tenmansha Shrine's autumn festival, the Arimatsu Float Festival, on the first Sunday of October each year. Designated as Tangible Folk Cultural Properties of Nagoya City, the floats of Hotei, Karako, and Jingu Takago are rotated solely by human power, and mechanical puppet performances are performed atop them, creating a breathtaking spectacle. At night, the three floats, adorned with approximately 250 paper lanterns, transform the streets into a magnificent spectacle.

This year, Nagoya's largest autumn event celebrated its 72nd anniversary, with over 700 participants dressed in samurai attire parading through the city streets to commemorate three influential local heroes of the 16th-century Sengoku period: Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu. The city center was filled with various festive activities, including parades, floats, battle reenactments, samurai horseback archery, and martial arts performances, while concerts were held around Hisaya-Odori Park. This two-day event, usually held in mid-October, attracts thousands of visitors annually.

One of Japan's largest and most charming pottery markets, with over 200 pottery and ceramic shops lining both banks of the Seto River. A dazzling array of goods—from everyday items to works of art—attracts tens of thousands of customers from all over Japan each year. At Okunoe Island Plaza, traditional Seto-dyed pottery is on display and available for purchase, its beautiful blue and white contrasts a delight to the eye, with live demonstrations offered. A fireworks display graces the opening night, a rare sight in Japan, as August is typically fireworks season. Approximately 1,000 fireworks soar into the sky, adding a breathtaking glow to the countless brightly lit shops.