Mao Goto is a Japanese freelancer who was born in Hayama, Kanagawa prefecture, and raised in Tokyo. Since 2016 she lives in the Taito Ward, home to a lot of Japanese culture hotspots such as Asakusa, Akihabara, and Ueno. She has been interested in the field of English education in Japan and got her Master’s degree in March 2020. A lover of photography, travel, sweets, and cross-stitch. Contact her via Facebook.
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Festivals throughout Japan are held in any season at all. Autumn is no exception, and autumn-themed festivals are always a source of excitement for locals and tourists alike. November in Tokyo is also a good time to enjoy festivals, as the heat is less intense and the temperatures are more comfortable. So what exactly are Tokyo’s events in November? In this article, we will talk about the best events and things to do in Tokyo in November 2022.
- 1. Yushima-Tenjin Chrysanthemum Festival
- 2. The 9th “Gotochi Nabe” Festival at Hibiya Park
- 3. Autumn Evening Illumination at Otaguro Park
- 4. Kanda Curry Grand Prix Finals
- 5. Japan Fisherman’s Festival 2022
- 6. Hiking at Mt. Takao
- 7. Meiji Jingu Gaien Gingko Festival
- 8. Kanda Used Book Festival
- 9. Dream Yosakoi Festival
- 10. Washu Festival
- Japan Wonder Travel Tours in Tokyo
- Other articles you might be interested in
1. Yushima-Tenjin Chrysanthemum Festival
Yushima Tenjin Shrine in Tokyo’s Bunkyo Ward is dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, the god of learning, and is visited by students from all over Japan during the exam season to pray for their success in their upcoming entrance exams. Every February, the shrine holds an ume festival, where ume trees bloom beautifully. In November, there is an amazing chrysanthemum festival, where many exhibits are displayed. The highlight of the exhibits is the chrysanthemum dolls. The chrysanthemum dolls are life-size dolls dressed in chrysanthemum clothes.
Dates: November 1 – 22
Official Website: Yushima Tenjin Chrysanthemum Festival
2. The 9th “Gotochi Nabe” Festival at Hibiya Park
One of the most popular foods to eat in the cold winter season is nabe (one-pot dish). Nabe is a winter feast in Japan that is sure to warm your body. The ingredients and soups used in nabe dishes vary from region to region. The Gotochi nabe festival is a festival that brings together delicious nabe dishes from all over the country. Held every year at Hibiya Park, this festival offers a chance to taste the specialty nabe dishes of each prefecture. It is a must-attend event if you like Japanese soup! Want sake with your delicious nabe dishes? Don’t worry about that, there is a wide selection of Japanese sake on site that goes well with nabe dishes.
Dates: November 25 – 27
Official Website: The 9th “Gotochi Nabe” Festival @Hibiya Park
Kakidai, (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons
3. Autumn Evening Illumination at Otaguro Park
Otaguro Park is a beautiful park in Suginami with a relaxing Japanese-style atmopshere. Every year from late November to early December, the park is illuminated at night with autumn leaves, and the beautiful sight will take your breath away. The view of the autumn foliage from the pond in the park at night is especially recommended. If the local winds are calm, the beauty of the autumn leaves will reflect on the surface of the water, creating a truly photogenic scene.
4. Kanda Curry Grand Prix Finals
Kanda in Tokyo is known as a fierce battleground for prominent curry restaurants, with over 400 curry restaurants in the area. Kanda’s curry scene is rich in diversity, including Indian curry, Thai curry, soup curry, coffee shop curry, and much much more. The Kanda Curry Grand Prix is a festival held in order to determine the best Kanda curry of the year. Fans vote for their favorites in the Kanda Curry Grand Prix preliminary round, and only 20 restaurants make it past the preliminary round will have the chance to participate in the final round and shoot their shot at being crowned the Kanda Curry Champion. The restaurant with the most votes will be crowned this year’s champion. Enjoy the signature curries prepared by the finest curry stores in Kanda! The finals this year will be held on November 5th and 6th.
Dates: November 5 – 6
Official Website: Kanda Curry Grand Prix Finals
5. Japan Fisherman’s Festival 2022
As an island country, Japan is known as a kingdom of seafood. The Japan Fisherman’s Festival, held in Hibiya Park in mid-November, is one of the largest seafood festivals in Japan. This year it will be from the 17th to the 20th. Visitors can enjoy a variety of Japanese seafood dishes such as kaisendon (a bowl of rice topped with fresh fish), nabe (a hot pot dish that allows you to enjoy the true flavor of seafood), as well as Western dishes like Spanish paella. This is an event where you can taste a variety of Japanese seafood dishes from all over the country.
Dates: November 17 – 20
Website: Japan Fisherman’s Festival 2022 (Japanese)
6. Hiking at Mt. Takao
November is the perfect season for autumn foliage viewing. Mt.Takao, located in the west part of Tokyo, attracts many visitors who are looking to enjoy the autumn foliage at this time of year. Mt. Takao is popular for its easy accessibility, which is only about an hour by train from central Tokyo. Takao is a famous tourist destination that attracts approximately 3,000,000 visitors a year from Japan and other countries. Not only is it known for its mountain climbing, but also for its gourmet offerings such as dango (dumplings) and tororo (grated yam) soba that fills the stomachs of hungry climbers. A cable car is also available for those who are not comfortable with hiking the mountain.
Website: Mt. Takao
7. Meiji Jingu Gaien Gingko Festival
There are 146 gingko trees planted in Jingu Gaien Area near the National Stadium, the venue for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. In late November, the leaves of these trees turn a beautiful yellow. This festival is popular as it is a great spot to view the autumn leaves in Tokyo every year. Many food stalls are set up around the festival, including those that sell the popular Sasebo burger, grilled sweetfish, and kebab sandwiches among other things. These dishes are pretty rare in Tokyo and aren’t something you see usually see at a regular fair!
Official Website: Meiji Jingu Gaien Gingko Festival
8. Kanda Used Book Festival
If you are a book lover, you must visit the Kanda Used Book Festival in Kanda Jimbocho, the holy land of books. The towers of books piled up in the antiquarian bookstore area are a spectacular sight to behold, and many people pick up and buy a variety of books during this once-a-year bargain of a million books. During the festival, there are also events featuring rare and precious books. It is a paradise for book lovers.
Dates: October 28 – November 3
Website: Kanda Used Book Festival
9. Dream Yosakoi Festival
Dream Yosakoi Festival, an annual autumn festival in Tokyo, is a Yosakoi dance festival held mainly in Odaiba and Marunouchi. Yosakoi dancing is a traditional Japanese dance that is well known throughout Japan. Thousands of Yosakoi dancers will gather in Tokyo for the Dream Yosakoi Festival to show off their Yosakoi dancing. Enjoy the splendid dances performed by these dancers!
Dates: November 5 – 6
Official Website: Dream Yosakoi Festival
10. Washu Festival
The last thing on our list is the Washu Festival, a must for all sake lovers! This year’s festival will be held on November 5 and 6, and will bring together 30 sake breweries and approximately 150 varieties of sake to this Nakameguro location. To enter the venue, you need to purchase your tickets in advance, which will cost you 3,000 yen per person. Your ticket will give you unlimited sake tasting at the venue! This event is the perfect opportunity for you to find the sake that best suits your tastes. Gourmet snacks that go well with sake will also be available for purchase, so be sure to check them out as well!
Dates: November 5 – 6
Official Website: Washu Festival (Japanese)
In this article, we have featured Tokyo festivals in November, where you can enjoy a variety of autumnal events. Some festivals have many food stalls serving delicious foods like takoyaki, yakisoba, and you can enjoy these delicious food while viewing the beautiful autumn leaves. These are usually sold at reasonable prices so that it is very recommendable. Why don’t you join a local festival full of downtown Tokyo atmosphere and enjoy yourself together with the enthusiasm of the locals?
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