Kanda Myojin Noryo Matsuri 2026
August 6–9, 2026 ｜ 2026年8月6日～9日
← All Events / 全イベント一覧 Festival
Date / 日付
August 6–9, 2026
2026年8月6日～9日
Location / 会場
Kanda Shrine (Kanda Myojin)
神田神社（神田明神）
2-16-2 Soto-Kanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Price / 料金
Free
Time / 時間
16:30–21:00 (Festival hours)
About This Event / イベントについて
The Kanda Myojin Noryo Matsuri is Akihabara's signature summer festival, returning August 6–9, 2026 for its eleventh edition. Held at Kanda Shrine — the historic spiritual anchor of the Kanda and Akihabara neighborhoods — the festival pairs traditional Bon Odori dancing with the subculture energy that defines modern Akihabara.
Since its launch in 2016, the festival has deliberately blended old and new. The headline is the Anison Bon Odori on day one, where anime song classics replace traditional festival music and cosplayers dance alongside locals in yukata. It is one of the few official shrine festivals anywhere in Japan that programs anime music as a core element rather than a side attraction.
The Anison Bon Odori
Day one (August 7) is the festival's anchor event. From 16:30 to 20:30 the shrine grounds fill with dancers circling the yagura stage to anime opening themes, Vocaloid tracks, and idol songs. Cosplay is explicitly welcomed, and the atmosphere is closer to a fan convention than a formal rite. Many attendees come in yukata; others arrive in full anime costume. Both are accepted and photographed freely.
The setlist leans toward recognizable, danceable anison rather than deep cuts, which keeps the circle accessible to first-timers and children. The shrine's organizers have framed this as an intentional bridge: using Akihabara's content-industry identity to draw younger visitors into a Bon Odori tradition they might otherwise never attend.
Eve festival and food stalls
August 6 is the eve festival (zenyasai), opening from late afternoon with a gourmet beer and sake gathering — a separate ticketed tasting event branded the "Gourmet Beer & Sake Festival." From August 7, the full lineup of yatai food stalls opens along the shrine approach, serving yakisoba, takoyaki, karaage, candied fruits, and shaved ice. Many stalls are operated by long-running neighborhood vendors.
Days two and three shift to more traditional programming: the Chiyoda Minyo Renmei (Chiyoda Folk Dance Federation) performs on August 8, and the Hamacho Ondo Preservation Society leads the dancing on August 9. The contrast across the four days is part of the appeal — a single festival that moves from anime fan energy to folk preservation in the same shrine grounds.
Practical details
Kanda Shrine sits a short walk from Akihabara Station's Electric Town exit, making the festival unusually accessible for visitors already in the district for shopping or anime events. The shrine is also known as the patron of IT and electronics businesses, which is why many Akihabara shops pay their hatsumode (New Year) visits here — and why the festival's prayer themes include business prosperity for the local trade.
Entry is free. The eve festival beer and sake tasting has a separate charge. Food and drink are paid per stall. The festival runs rain or shine, with light rain typically not causing cancellation. Evening is the most atmospheric time to visit, when the lanterns are lit and the dancing is at its peak.
Highlights / 見どころ
Schedule & Venues / スケジュール・会場
Aug 6 – Aug 9, 2026
16:30
– 21:00
Festival hours/ 開催時間
Kanda Shrine (Kanda Myojin)(神田明神)
Tips / アドバイス
Cosplay and yukata both welcomed at the Anison Bon Odori.
アニソン盆踊りはコスプレ・浴衣ともに歓迎。
The eve festival beer/sake tasting has a separate charge.
前夜祭のビール・日本酒試飲は別途有料。
Evening is the most atmospheric time — lanterns lit and dancing peaks.
提灯が灯る夕刻以降が雰囲気最高。
Walkable from JR Akihabara Electric Town exit in a few minutes.
JR秋葉原電気街口から徒歩数分。
