Ueno in June 2025: Highlights, Events & Festivals
Ueno and its surroundings offer many large parks and temples, allowing visitors to enjoy nature-rich scenery. Although June in Japan is typically a rainy season, on clear days you can feel the pleasant early summer breeze. Ueno has many indoor tourist attractions such as art galleries and museums, so you don't need to worry about rain.
The bustling Ameyoko Shopping Street and casual yet delicious restaurants let you experience the friendly downtown atmosphere unique to this area.
Another attractive point is the proximity to tourist-favorite "Asakusa" and the retro neighborhood "Yanaka."
We've selected events around the Ueno area happening in June 2025. You'll find a variety of events including traditional festivals and food fests. We'll also introduce events in Asakusa and Yanaka, so be sure to check them out!
Special Experiences Only in Ueno in June 2025
Philippine Expo 2025 in Tokyo
Source:Official website
The Philippine Expo is an event that has been held since 2018 to promote international friendship between Japan and the Philippines. It takes place in Ueno Park on the weekend closest to June 12th, which celebrates Philippines Independence Day.
Numerous stalls offering Philippine home cooking and famous dishes create an atmosphere like walking through a local Philippine street. My recommendation is the traditional dish "Kare-Kare," vegetables and meat simmered in peanut butter sauce. The mellow sweetness and richness of the peanuts create an addictive flavor. Please try it with Philippine beer.
Why not visit this event where you can enjoy the feeling of a Philippine vacation while still in Japan?
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- Dates: June 6-8, 2025
- Access: 2-minute walk from Ueno Station (JR Lines, Tokyo Metro Ginza/Hibiya Lines)
- Admission: Free (Tickets required for music stage)
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philippine_expo/
Lively Asakusa Hydrangea Festival
Source:Official website
The "Ikiiki Asakusa Hydrangea Festival" is where you can enjoy beautiful hydrangeas. The vividly blooming hydrangea flowers are a symbol of early Japanese summer.
This event, where you can view about 100 varieties of hydrangeas, is also called "Japan's Best Hydrangea Encyclopedia," offering colorful hydrangeas unique to this season.
Another highlight is experiencing various health methods passed down from the Edo period:
- "Medicinal Cucumber Soup" - cucumbers cooked in dashi broth
- "Houroku-kyu" - placing a flat earthenware pot with moxa and charm on your head
- "Amacha-ko" - bathing in incense smoke with sweet tea leaves kneaded in to pray for health
The Amacha-ko offers a faint sweet fragrance that helps relax your mind.
Hydrangeas glistening with rain are a June-only delight for the Ueno Event audience in June 2025. Don't miss it!
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- Dates: June 14-15, 2025
- Access: 8-minute walk from Iriya Station (Hibiya Line) or 8-minute walk from - Asakusa Station (Tsukuba Express) to Chokoku-Ji
- Admission: Free
- Website: https://www.otorisama.jp/ikiiki-ajisai/infomation/Dates: June 14-15, 2025
Taiwan Festival™ TOKYO 2025
Source:Official website
"Taiwan Festival" is a popular event aimed at promoting food cultural exchange between Japan and Taiwan. Various stalls featuring Taiwanese street food, home cooking, and desserts lineup, allowing visitors to fully enjoy Taiwanese cuisine.
My recommended booth is the Taiwanese-style beer garden. The traditional Taiwanese banquet style with round tables covered with tablecloths will heighten your mood. My favorite is beer made with famous Taiwanese fruits like mango and lychee.
The fluffy steamed buns and skewered squid balls are also recommended for eating while walking around.
When I visited last year, I enjoyed the "Taiwanese Breakfast Set" which was limited to 100 servings starting from 9 AM. If you wake up early and head out, something good might happen to you!
Don't miss this exciting Ueno event in June 2025 where you can experience authentic Taiwanese culture right in Tokyo!
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- Dates: June 19-22, 2025
- Access: 2-minute walk from JR lines/Tokyo Metro Ginza Line/Hibiya Line "Ueno Station"
- Admission: ¥600 (includes reusable cup)
- Website: https://taiwanfes.org/
Downtown Highball Festival
Source:Official website
If you want to casually enjoy alcohol outdoors, why not visit the "Shitamachi Highball Festival"? Each store offers highballs (Whiskey & Soda) made with their original recipes, as well as beer, sake, and shochu-based drinks.
My favorite is the "Habanero Highball." The spicy taste with a whole habanero has a refreshing aftertaste that pairs perfectly with food.
There's also a wide lineup of izakaya staples that go well with any alcohol, such as beef tongue, grilled squid, fried chicken, and dumplings. Cheeseburgers and steaks are also available as a nice change from Japanese food.
Fully enjoy alcohol and gourmet food in early summer Tokyo while also enjoying stage events like DJ performances and Bon dance!
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Dates: Late June 2025
Access: 2-minute walk from JR lines/Tokyo Metro Ginza Line/Hibiya Line "Ueno Station"
Admission: Free
Website: https://shitamachi-highball.com/top/
5 Recommended Events in the Ueno Area in June 2025
Torigoe Festival
Source:Go Tokyo
"Torigoe Festival" is an annual festival held every June at Torigoe Jinja, which has over 1,370 years of history. About 250 stalls line up around the shrine, selling festival staple foods and traditional toys.
The parade of portable shrines held on the final day is the biggest highlight of this festival. About 200 people carry the "Sengan Mikoshi," which is said to be the heaviest in Tokyo at about 4 tons, and parade around the area.
When it gets dark, lantern lights beautifully illuminate the streets, beginning the time called "Torigoe Night Festival." Lanterns decorating the portable shrines are also lit, and the festival reaches its peak excitement.
If you want to experience the atmosphere of a Japanese festival full of excitement and power, please do visit!
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Dates: June 6-9, 2025
Access: 5-minute walk from Toei Asakusa Line "Kuramae Station" / 8-minute walk from JR Sobu Line "Asakusabashi Station"
Admission: Free
Website: https://www.city.taito.lg.jp/event/kanko/torikoematsuri.html
Torigoe Shrine Official X: https://x.com/torikoejinjya?mx=2
Pre-Festival Ceremony (Nagoshi no Harae)
Source:Official website
The "Nagoshi no Harae" serves as the pre-festival ceremony for the "Natsumoude" held at Asakusa Shrine. This ritual, which can be considered the summer version of the "Toshikoshi no Oharae" performed on New Year's Eve, carries the wish to dispel negative energy in order to overcome the hot summer. The Ueno Event in June 2025 will feature this traditional ceremony, attracting a diverse audience of both locals and tourists.
The main event is the "Chinowa-kuguri," where participants walk through a large ring woven from a type of grass called "Kaya." It is said that passing through this ring brings benefits of warding off evil and maintaining good health.
When the sun sets, the bamboo path within the shrine grounds is illuminated, and a Milky Way display begins with glowing stones laid on the ground. At the lighting ceremony held at 7 PM, the "Natsumoude Song" is performed, celebrating the beginning of the main festival that starts the following day.
Why not charge your energy with "Nagoshi no Harae" before summer arrives?
Don't Miss the "Asakusa Shrine Natsumoude" Starting July 1st!
Source:Official website
The Natsumoude at Asakusa Shrine is held from July 1st to 7th. While New Year's is celebrated with Hatsumoude (first shrine visit), Natsumoude is a visit to mark the milestone after half the year has passed. This event originated at Asakusa Shrine and aims to spread as a new Japanese custom.
The charm of this event is that you can enjoy both traditional religious ceremonies and Bon dances, as well as modern activities like yukata contests and wind chime decorations.
My recommendation is the stage performance by the "Asakusa Children's Kabuki Association" presented on the final day. You can enjoy cute songs and dances by small children, as well as authentic kabuki performances by elementary school students and older.
Please come and enjoy Natsumoude, where you can experience Japanese traditional culture in a fun way!
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Schedule: Starting June 30, 2025
Access: 7-minute walk from Asakusa Station (Tokyo Metro Ginza Line/Toei Subway Asakusa Line)
Admission: Free
Website: https://natsumoude.jp
Yanaka Ginza Bikkuri Market
Source:Official website
Yanaka Ginza, a short distance from Ueno, is a traditional shopping street that preserves a retro charm. It has become popular for spots where you can see beautiful sunsets.
The "Bikkuri Market" held four times a year (February, June, November, December) in Yanaka Ginza is a time sale that lasts only one hour in the evening. "Bikkuri" means "Surprise" in Japanese, and it got this name because the prices are surprisingly cheap.
Many locals come to purchase side dishes and bento boxes for their dinner that day, and popular shops have long lines. The lively atmosphere unique to the evening shopping street offers an experience of blending into the daily lives of Japanese people. Since it ends in the blink of an eye, please enjoy it to the fullest!
The Bikkuri Market attracts a diverse audience of both locals and tourists, especially those planning to visit Japan in June 2025 for various Ueno events. Many travelers find this unique shopping experience a perfect complement to their itinerary.
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Date: Late June 2025 (held for only 1 hour in the evening)
Access: 5-minute walk from JR "Nippori Station" / 5-minute walk from Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line "Sendagi Station"
Admission: Free
Website: https://www.yanakaginza.com/
After fully enjoying Ueno events during the day in June 2025, enjoy bar hopping at night with a local guide!
There are many restaurants around Ueno where you can enjoy inexpensive and delicious drinks and meals. However, with so many varieties, it's hard to know which one to choose, isn't it? For such people, a tour with a local guide is recommended.
"All-You-Can-Drink Bar Hopping Tour In Ueno" is a tour where guides who know Ueno inside out will take you to hidden izakaya.
Highlights of this tour:
- Bar-hopping experience visiting 3 uniquely Japanese izakayas
- Enjoy popular izakaya menu items such as yakitori and kushikatsu
- Feel at ease even with unfamiliar Japanese food as the guide will explain everything
- Wide variety of menu items to accommodate personal food preferences and allergies
- Participation possible without bringing anything as food and drink costs are included in the tour feeThe appeal of this tour is that you can go to local izakayas that tourists don't know about. If you want to enjoy casual Japanese izakaya culture like a Japanese person, please join!
Meeting point: Ueno Station
Tour area: Around Ueno (3 Izakaya bars)
Start time: 18:00