Indulge in Tokyo's 2025 Dessert Festivals: A Guide to Sweets Celebrations
Tokyo is the capital city of Japan, a fascinating metropolis where modern elements like skyscrapers intermingle with historical features such as shrines and temples. While Tokyo is filled with numerous attractions scattered throughout the city, its well-developed transportation network makes it easy for individual tourists to navigate.
Tokyo's climate varies distinctly with the four seasons - spring and autumn are comfortable, while summer can be intensely hot and winter quite cold.
As Japan's central hub, Tokyo hosts must-see food events every month that gather famous culinary delights from across the nation. By participating in these events, you can feel like you're traveling throughout Japan while staying in Tokyo.
This article introduces events centered around desserts, sweets, and traditional Japanese confections in Tokyo, including highlights, basic information, schedules, and access to venues.
10 Must-Visit Events for Sweet Lovers to Enjoy Exquisite Japanese Confections and Sweets in Tokyo
As one of the world's premier entertainment districts attracting large crowds, Tokyo is home to numerous restaurants. The sweet offerings are particularly diverse, ranging from long-established traditional Japanese confectionery shops to sweets utilizing the latest culinary technologies, making it easy to choose according to your mood or purpose.
Here are 10 notable events where sweet lovers can enjoy exquisite Japanese confections and sweets in Tokyo, including the highly anticipated Tokyo Desserts & Sweets Festival 2025.
Shimokitazawa Spice & Sweets Casual Bar Hopping (May)
Source:PR TIMES
Shimokitazawa Spice & Sweets Casual Bar Hopping (May) is a food event in Shimokitazawa themed around spices. Beyond food booths, there are stamp rallies offering prizes and drinking companion stamp rallies that help foster connections between shops and people.
A highlight of this event is the wonderful compatibility between spicy dishes and desserts. With foods perfectly paired with sweets, you can experience something special that can't be enjoyed with just dishes or just sweets alone.
Don't miss the attractive menu items such as stewed dishes featuring spice flavors and palate-cleansing sweets. Limited-time menu items that are only available during the event period also appear, making this an irresistible event for spice and sweets enthusiasts!
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- Access: 2-31 Kitazawa Setagaya-ku
- Admission: 500 yen
- Website: https://barbar.love-shimokitazawa.jp/ (February 2025 site)
Ice Cream Expo (July)
Source:PR TIMES
The Ice Cream Expo (July) is Japan's largest ice cream event supervised by the Japan Ice Cream Mania Association. With the concept of "Paradise for Ice Cream Lovers," it features "ultimate ice creams that match the latest trends" carefully selected by the Japan Ice Cream Association, allowing visitors to fully enjoy the charms of ice cream.
As an ice cream lover myself, I've participated in this event before. Innovative ice creams from all over Japan are gathered, and all were so appealing that it took time to make choices. I shared about four varieties with friends, and my favorite was the peach gelato. It was full of fruity peach flavor, creamy yet refreshing in the aftertaste, making it easy to eat!
At the event, you can enjoy demonstration sales of soft serve ice cream, shaved ice, and gelato to eat on the spot, as well as cup ice cream that's easy to take away. Come with an empty stomach and indulge in various types of ice cream.
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- Date: TBD July 2025
- Access: Depends on venue
- Admission: 500 yen for adults, free for elementary school children and younger
- Website: https://www.i-89.jp/
Spicy Food & Shaved Ice Festival (August)
Source:YOKOHAMA
The Spicy Food & Shaved Ice Festival (August) is an event where you can enjoy comparing and tasting various foods and drinks all at once, with specialty shops selling spicy foods, shaved ice specialists, and craft brewery booths that pair perfectly with spicy foods.
When I attended, there was a tasting competition to decide the No.1 among participating stores, and music performances on a special stage, making it exciting not just for the food but for the entertainment too! Before leaving, I picked up spicy seasonings and ultra-spicy retort curry packets from the merchandise booths, thoroughly enjoying the event for the entire day.
After working up a sweat with spicy food, you can cool down with chilled desserts like shaved ice, so you can keep eating as much as you want! They also sell non-spicy food and drinks for children, making it enjoyable for family outings as well.
*For visitors interested in Tokyo Desserts & Sweets Festival 2025, this event offers an excellent opportunity to experience traditional Japanese summer treats like shaved ice alongside spicy cuisine.*
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- Dates: TBD August 2025
- Access: Depends on venue
- Admission: Free
- Website: https://www.instagram.com/gekikara.ice/
Roasted Sweet Potato Festival TOKYO (November)
Source:Official website
At the Roasted Sweet Potato Festival TOKYO (November), you can enjoy specialty "yakiimo" (roasted sweet potato) dishes made with sweet potatoes harvested from various regions. The event brings together shops that want to spread "yakiimo" culture by reimagining Japan's proud "yakiimo" with new approaches.
Notable highlights include innovative offerings like Matured honey roasted sweet potato smoothie, whole roasted sweet potato crackers, and salt-butter brûlée roasted sweet potato, as well as yakiimo tasting sets that let you experience the essence of roasted sweet potatoes. I particularly enjoyed the classic "yakiimo" tasting comparison.
By comparing three types of sweet potatoes, I could experience how each differs in texture, sweetness, and flavor, which became an opportunity to discover the depth of sweet potatoes.
Why not discover new charms of roasted sweet potatoes by comparing them with various seasonings?
*While attending the Tokyo Desserts & Sweets Festival 2025, don't miss this authentic Japanese sweet treat that showcases roasted sweet potatoes in both traditional and innovative preparations.*
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Dates: TBD September 2025
Access: Depends on venue
Admission: Free
Website: https://www.instagram.com/yaki_imofes/?hl=ja
Cheese Festa (November)
Source:Official website
The Cheese Festa (November) is held on November 11th, Cheese Day, with the theme "Come! See! Eat! Festival of Delicious Cheeses from Around the World" to promote cheese and expand its consumption.
Hearing that a variety of distinctive cheeses from around the world would be gathered, I decided to participate. The event featured cheese introductions by cheese makers, cheese tastings and sales, award ceremonies for cooking contests using cheese, and many other activities that kept visitors entertained.
I particularly liked the merchandise corner where staff listened to my preferences and helped me find the perfect cheese through tastings. There were many unusual varieties that aren't normally available, and I enjoyed shopping while listening to cheese trivia, making for a fun time.
If you participate in the Cheese Festa, which is full of cheese attractions, you'll surely become captivated by cheese!
The Tokyo Desserts & Sweets Festival 2025 offers a similar experience for dessert lovers, but cheese enthusiasts will particularly appreciate this specialized event featuring international varieties.
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- Date: November 11, 2025
- Access: Depends on venue
- Admission: Free
- Website: https://www.cheesefesta.com/ (2024 site)
Tokyo Christmas Market in Jingu Gaien (December)
Source:Official website
The Tokyo Christmas Market in Jingu Gaien (December) is Japan's largest Christmas market, with the venue changing from Hibiya Park to Jingu Gaien in 2024.
The most noteworthy attraction at the event is the symbolic Christmas pyramid. This Christmas pyramid stands 14m tall, making it one of the world's largest, comparable to those in Dresden, Germany. It's eye-catching from a distance, and up close, its size is truly overwhelming.
The main market area features Christmas-related goods shops, food stalls, and workshops. Once you step into the venue, your spirits will undoubtedly rise. With stollen or hot wine in hand as you stroll around, you'll fully enjoy the Christmas atmosphere.
Every year I make sure to visit the Tokyo Desserts & Sweets Festival 2025 around this time as it perfectly complements the Christmas market experience.
Although November brings colder weather, the heart-warming atmosphere is what makes it so appealing, and I never miss visiting each year.
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- Dates: TBD December 2025
- Access: 5-minute walk from Shinanomachi Station (Chuo-Sobu Line) or Kokuritsu-Kyogijo Station (Oedo Line), 8-minute walk from Gaienmae Station (Ginza Line)
- Admission: Adults 2000 yen, Elementary school students 1000 yen, Preschool children free (conditions apply)
- Website: https://www.instagram.com/tokyochristmas/
Roppongi Hills Christmas Market (December)
Source:Official website
The Roppongi Hills Christmas Market (December) is a long-established domestic Christmas market that began in 2006 at Roppongi Hills. The venue recreates what is said to be the world's largest Christmas market in Stuttgart, Germany, creating a vibrant space with colorful decorations and illuminations.
At the venue, you'll find traditional German Christmas maker Käthe Wohlfahrt's Christmas goods, along with ornaments, wreaths, and other items that will make you want to decorate for Christmas. Food booths offer authentic German cuisine such as glühwein and sausages, giving you the feeling of strolling through a German Christmas market while in Japan.
I look forward to the food every year and often order hot dogs which are easy to eat while walking around. The combination of juicy sausage and German bread is superb—one bite brings a smile to my face! The hot chocolate I ordered alongside was rich and sweet, warming me from the inside out.
The Tokyo Desserts & Sweets Festival 2025 organizers have mentioned they'll be collaborating with this market to bring special seasonal treats to visitors.
On your way home, stop by Roppongi Hills to take out Christmas-themed cakes and donuts to enjoy the Christmas spirit at home as well.
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- Dates: TBD December 2025
- Access: Directly connected to Roppongi Station (Hibiya Line), 4-minute walk from Roppongi Station or Azabu-juban Station (Oedo Line)
- Admission: Free
- Website: https://www.christmas.hills-site.com/illumination-event/roppongi/101/ (2024 website)
For Those Who Love Japanese Sweets and Desserts! 3 Recommended Tours to Enjoy Food with Local Guides
If you want to taste popular sweets, it's recommended to join a tour where knowledgeable guides introduce you to carefully selected shops.
Here, I'll introduce three recommended tours where you can enjoy food with local guides, perfect for those who love Japanese sweets and desserts. The Tokyo Desserts & Sweets Festival 2025 will be featuring many of these local specialties, making it an excellent opportunity to learn about traditional and modern Japanese confections.
Harajuku Kawaii Fashion & Pop-culture Tour
The Harajuku Kawaii Fashion & Pop-culture Tour is a tour where you can enjoy Harajuku's pop culture with a local guide while strolling down Takeshita Street, which is extremely popular among Japanese youth.
After meeting at Harajuku Station, you'll first head to Takeshita Street. Takeshita Street offers not only shopping for clothes and daily necessities but also street food sweets such as crepes and cotton candy that you can enjoy while walking.
There are many sweet shops, so if you're confused about what to choose, crepes are famous on Takeshita Street, so try selecting one of those. This tour will be especially exciting for visitors interested in the Tokyo Desserts & Sweets Festival 2025, as you'll get a preview of the delightful treats that make Tokyo famous.
After enjoying shopping and sweets, you'll move to Galaxy Harajuku to experience digital art created in collaboration with the popular art collective teamLab. Finally, you'll end the tour with a Japanese-style lunch such as okonomiyaki or monjayaki in the back streets of Harajuku (nicknamed "Urahara").
With a guide, you can navigate the always crowded and confusing Harajuku without getting lost.
Meeting point:
- Tour area: Harajuku
- Start time: 10:30
1-Day Tokyo Highlights Tour with a Private Car and Guide
The 1-Day Tokyo Highlights Tour with a Private Car and Guide is a tour where you can efficiently visit Tokyo's famous spots by private car. You'll discover various attractions of Tokyo, from historical shrines to modern skyscrapers.
You'll visit five sightseeing spots while having lunch along the way:
- Meiji Shrine
- Tsukiji Market
- Asakusa (or Akihabara)
- Zojoji Temple & Tokyo Tower
- Shibuya Scramble Crossing
My recommended spot is Tsukiji Market. At the market, you can experience the unique energy and dynamism, and taste meals and sweets that can only be eaten here, which left a strong impression on me. The seasonal specialties available here often appear at the Tokyo Desserts & Sweets Festival 2025, making this a perfect opportunity to sample authentic Japanese flavors.
In addition to the main tourist spots, you can optionally explore Harajuku along with Meiji Shrine, or add a Japanese garden appreciation and matcha experience at Hama-rikyu Gardens. In Harajuku, you can enjoy modern Tokyo, and at Hama-rikyu Gardens, you can enjoy the atmosphere of traditional Tokyo, so adding both will help you better understand Japanese culture.
You'll spend a fulfilling day taking 8 hours to thoroughly visit Tokyo's must-see tourist spots.
<Meeting point>
- Tour area: Tokyo
- Start time: 9:00
Asakusa Cultural Walk & Matcha Making Tour
The Asakusa Cultural Walk & Matcha Making Tour allows you to explore Asakusa, famous for its downtown atmosphere, and enjoy a matcha-making experience.
After meeting in front of the Kaminarimon police box, you'll first stroll down Nakamise Street, which has over 300 years of history, enjoying popular sweets and shopping. Continuing through the street, you'll arrive at the main spot, Sensoji Temple, where you'll receive an explanation about the shrine from your guide.
After Sensoji Temple, you'll move to a place where you can experience matcha. The experience of matcha, a traditional Japanese culture, is a popular plan among tourists as it allows you to escape from Tokyo's hustle and bustle and enjoy the peaceful Japanese spirit.
Many visitors often ask if this is connected to the Tokyo Desserts & Sweets Festival 2025, as the matcha experience offers an authentic taste of traditional Japanese tea culture.
I was also able to relax by making matcha in a calm space and spent a relaxing time. The combination of slightly bitter matcha and the sweet Japanese confectionery served with it is excellent, and once you taste it, you'll be hooked!
Finally, you'll have lunch with monjayaki or okonomiyaki at a popular local restaurant. With both monjayaki and okonomiyaki, you finish cooking them yourself on the iron plate in front of you, so you can enjoy the fun of making them.
This tour allows you to fully enjoy the charm of Asakusa in 3 hours, so it's recommended for those considering sightseeing in Asakusa.
Meeting point:
- Tour area: Harajuku
- Start time: 11:00
