Universal Studios Japan (USJ) is pulling out all the stops for its Halloween event, with both nighttime horrors and a daytime Halloween party.

The daytime event — Hahaha! Halloween — sees staff on hand to offer goodies to trick-or-treaters (excluding Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ and Super Nintendo World™), and a special Pokémon Unstoppable Halloween Party, where everyone is invited to join favorites including Pikachu and Gengar. Fast-forward to nighttime — Halloween Horror Nights — for an altogether scarier experience, where zombies roam the streets and various rides pull out all the stops, like Resident Evil™, with an immersive horror show, and the Chainsaw Man attractions.
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Godzilla and Monster Hunter unite to create a brand-new series of quests and goodies for visitors to Nijigen No Mori’s Godzilla Intercept Operation and Monster Hunter: The Field.

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of legendary Japanese character, Godzilla, guests at the Nijigen no Mori theme park are invited to take part in new quests, and purchase a variety of exclusive collaboration goods. There is also a limited-edition menu at the site, and the on-site lodgings have been transformed especially for the occasion. If Demon Slayer is more your thing, the Kimetsu no Yaiba attraction is hosting a nighttime walk, inviting attendees to become demon slayers themselves for the evening.

Toei Kyoto Theme Park celebrates Japan’s infamous yokai, the creatures of Japanese folklore whose looks could give zombies a run for their money. Visit the theme park in the festive period to discover the yokai world.

The park will be transformed during the Kaikai Yokai Festival, with yokai appearing everywhere you look. A special event is set to take place “The Night Parade of One Hundred Yokai,” which parades yokai through the streets of the theme park, inviting audiences into the fun. There will be bus tours, taking participants off the theme park, in order to educate yokai lovers about key Japanese ghost incidents that happened in Kyoto itself.

Japan’s most infamous danjiri (float) festival sees 500,000 visitors watch over 100 local participants rush the danjiri floats around the streets near Kishiwada Castle. The festival weaves over 300 years of tradition into four days in September and three in October, the latter part arguably more pleasant thanks to the cooler temperatures.

Residents carry 34 ornately-carved four-tonne floats along the streets, ridden by daikugata (carpenters). The racing has two aims: to celebrate the impressive danjiri woodwork, and to pray for a good harvest. The danjiri can be dangerous for its riders, who’ve been known to fall off in the excitement, but for onlookers, it's an eyeful of adrenaline, pumped full of traditional Japanese festival foods like yakisoba and okonomiyaki.

Hasedera is one of Nara’s most famous, picturesque temples. Built in 686 AD, the temple serves as the headquarters for Buzan school of the Shingon sect of Buddhism. It’s so large that it takes around 40 minutes to walk around its buildings, which comprise over 30. The temple is renowned for its five-storey pagoda, surrounded by leaves and flowers that reflect the seasons.

The temple is often referred to it as the “temple of flowers” — and fall is no different. The temple hosts an autumn leaf viewing event to show off its fabulous fiery foliage in the cooler months, and invites visitors inside the great hall to pay respects directly to the Kannon herself, normally a privilege reserved for temple staff only.

Kyoto’s Jidai Matsuri is known as one of Kyoto’s “great three” traditional festivals. The event attracts people from Japan and beyond to witness its impressive procession and soak up the festive atmosphere of a parade that is steeped in history.

The festival began at Heian Jingu, a Kyoto-based shrine, in 1895, to celebrate the anniversary of Kyoto being made a capital city. It’s held on October 22 every year. A particular highlight of the festival is a huge procession of 2,000 Kyotoites, dressed in period clothes. The order of the costumes goes from the Meiji Restoration (1868) to the Heian period (794 AD – 1185). The parade stretches for 2 kilometers, and is an excellent opportunity to experience various eras of Kyoto dress, each of the pieces worn (said to be 12,000) of the finest local quality.

The biggest tennis tournament in Asia sees stars take to the courts for a week-long tournament of hitting balls toward their opponents. A WTA 250 event, the women’s edition is known as one of the most prestigious tennis tournaments in the region, and sees stars like Naomi Osaka, Moyuka Uchijima (Japan’s No. 2), and Aoi Ito take to the court on home turf.

Last year was won by Suzan Lamens from Holland, who beat Kimberley Birrell (Australia). Both are set to play again this year, alongside Naomi Osaka who is making a triumphant return to the court, after reaching the finals of the US Open this year.

For baseball fans who fancy catching one of the world’s top leagues on home turf, the 76th season of the Nippon Series of the Nippon Professional Baseball league is set to start on October 25.

This is a great chance to catch Japan’s local teams competing in the final games of the year. The top teams of the season go into Climax Playoffs at the start of October, followed by the Nippon Series 2025 if they win. The biggest teams in Kansai: Osaka’s Hanshin Tigers and Kyoto’s Orix Buffaloes — who play at the Hanshin Koshien Stadium and the Kyocera Dome respectively — are likely to appear.

Take the train to see an exhibition of works by Japan’s most famous contemporary artist, Yayoi Kusama. It encompasses artworks ranging from the artist’s early days in New York with the original Infinity Mirror Rooms, through to more modern paintings and even one of her renowned yellow pumpkin sculptures.

Less recognizable than her installation-view mirror rooms, Kusama’s paintings enable the viewer to ponder the mind of the artist as she puts brush to paper. Combined with an interview from 2015, “Let’s Fight Together,” this modest exhibition is a great way to gain an oversight into Kusama and her work, from the country in which she was born.

“When I Change, Hello Kitty Changes Too,” is an exhibition looking at Hello Kitty’s evolution over the past five decades. The show has seen a tremendous run, starting in Tokyo in January, then moving through Fukuoka and Osaka where it enjoyed rave reviews.

Hello Kitty, perhaps one of Japan’s most famous exports, was first drawn in 1974 by Yuko Shimuzu, an employee at Sanrio. Hello Kitty was released on a coin purse the following year, and went on to become Sanrio’s best-selling character of all time. The exhibit details Hello Kitty’s changes, going from artist collaboration showing different bags and accessories, to candy and even exclusive videos.

Creative company, Naked Inc, returns to Nijo Castle with a light-up event to celebrate the moon-viewing history of the castle. Visitors can experience Nijo in a whole new light (quite literally!), lit with illuminations and projection mapping in various themes, such as the moon and ikebana.

Nijo Castle is one of the largest castles in the region of Kansai, covering a total area of two kilometers. With many of its buildings dating back 400 years to the Edo period, the castle and its buildings stand as important cultural artefacts, some officially Important Cultural Properties. Through the festive period, the Ninomaru-goten Palace will be open until late, giving visitors the chance to wander its halls after dark.

One of Kansai’s most eagerly anticipated fireworks shows is here. An hour-long extravaganza broken up into five individual “scenes,” the event attracts over 500,000 visitors each year, who come to revel in the festive atmosphere created by local volunteers.

The theme for 2025 is “Break Through: Delivering Fireworks of the Future to the World, through the Naniwa Sky.” Each of the five acts, split into themes including “New,” “Progress” and “Heart,” is accompanied by music, such as Mrs Green Apple and Yoasobi. Even a Coldplay song makes an appearance. This year is a little later than usual due to the Osaka Expo (see below).

October 13 is your last chance to catch the Expo, a huge world’s fair that attracts millions of visitors to over a hundred pavilions run by various countries and NGOs from around the world. Areas include Japan, Scandinavia and Palestine. As each country tries to outdo the rest, they amaze audiences by showcasing the latest feats in engineering and advancements in technology.

The expo has been running since April this year, with exciting innovations including: a beating heart, dragon meat, a flying car and a hydrogen-powered vending machine. As well as pavilions, the 155-hectare area has art installations, restaurants and even a green, park-style area, with special events happening daily.

Matcha and Japanese tea lovers, rejoice, for this is an entire expo dedicated to Kyoto’s world-famous tea culture. The event is designed to introduce visitors to Kyoto’s tea legacy, and guests will be treated to a variety of tea-related activities hosted by professionals and members of the local community.

Workshops on how to make matcha and other types of tea; tea ceremony performances; and booths selling green teas will be set up in Kitano Tenmangu Shrine’s grounds. Local organizations will also host outdoor tea ceremonies, and there will even be a tea-related exhibition on “Kitano Ōchanoyu (Grand Kitano Tea Ceremony).”