Ueno Events December 2025: Complete Guide to New Year Celebrations, Winter Illuminations & Traditional Festivals
Ueno, known as one of Tokyo's representative tourist destinations, is a district filled with beautiful nature and abundant dining establishments including izakayas. During autumn, the autumn leaves in Ueno Park turn colors all at once, attracting many tourists who come to see these beautiful scenery.
Ueno Park is famous for hosting many attractive events during autumn that can be enjoyed by both tourists and locals alike. This article explains the Ueno Events November 2025 that will be held around Ueno area. If you're planning to visit Tokyo in autumn, please use this as a reference.
If You're Visiting Ueno in November, Enjoy Exquisite Japanese Sake Under the Mild Climate!
If you're thinking of visiting Ueno in November, we recommend enjoying exquisite Japanese sake under the mild climate.
This is because Ueno hosts the Kakuuchi Liquor Festival in mid-November, an event that conveys the charm of Japanese sake. From here, we'll introduce the highlights of the Kakuuchi Liquor Festival as part of the Ueno Events November 2025 in detail.
"Sidewalk Drinking Space" Where You Can Compare Exquisite Japanese Sake
Source:Official website
Kakuuchi in the event name refers to a style where you can immediately drink alcohol purchased right in front of a liquor store. At the Sidewalk Drinking Space, you can experience comparing exquisite Japanese sake from all over the country in kakuuchi style.
On the day of the event, 27 stores from across the country will set up booths at the venue, where you can taste each store's proud alcoholic beverages. You can experience up to 2 cups of sake at the booths within the venue. When you find sake you want to drink, simply show your admission ticket at the booth and the alcohol will be served on the spot.
Additionally, there are paid sake tasting experience booths where you pay an additional fee, and by paying extra beyond the admission fee, you can taste premium sake that you normally wouldn't be able to experience.
"Food Court" Where Food Stalls Offering Exquisite Cuisine Gather
Source:Official website
The Kakuuchi Liquor Festival features a food court that provides delicious cuisine, captivating visitors every year. Carefully selected dishes from all over the country are sold, and what you can taste includes yakisoba, offal grilled, kushiyaki, and other dishes that pair well with alcohol.
There are also children's booths for kids, including shooting galleries and toy shops, in addition to the food court, so families with children can also enjoy the festival.
I also visit this venue every time and enjoy eating and drinking like at an izakaya. There are many tables at the venue, so you can settle down and leisurely savor alcohol and food.
"Stage Performance" Where You Can Enjoy Various Types of Acts
Source:Official website
The Kakuuchi Liquor Festival venue has a stage, and during the event period, stage events featuring various types of performances are held.
The events include live performances by musicians gathered from across the country and dance performances, as well as talk events by presidents of liquor stores gathered from all over the country, creating great excitement.
The biggest attraction of the liquor store talk shows is being able to hear about the charm of sake made at each brewery and the passionate thoughts put into sake making. They also talk about sake culture and history, making it a must-see event for those who want to know more about the appeal of Japanese sake.
If You Love Alcohol, Enjoy Bar Hopping at Shops Loved by Locals with a Local Guide!
If you want to leisurely enjoy alcohol in Tokyo, try participating in a tour that visits izakayas and pubs in Ueno's back alleys. The tour visits hidden famous establishments known only to locals, where you can fully enjoy alcohol and meals together with local people.
The tour's characteristic feature is being able to enjoy uniquely Japanese izakayas, where you can experience the all-you-can-drink system that allows you to enjoy as much alcohol as you want within a set time period. The tour's strength is not only for tour participants but also being able to enjoy Tokyo's nightlife while enjoying interactions with local people you meet at the establishments.
Since the tour fee includes meal costs, you can participate empty-handed. By participating in this tour, I was also able to enjoy interactions with travelers of various nationalities. If you want to enjoy bar hopping in Japan, please try participating.
Meeting Point: In front of the "UENO" object near Ueno Station Hirokoji Exit
Tour Area: Ueno
Start Time: 18:00
Don't Miss Ueno Park Wrapped in Late November Autumn Foliage!
In late November, the trees in Ueno Park take on beautiful colors. Within Ueno Park, there are museums housed in historic buildings, and many people gather to see the harmonious scenery of these buildings combined with autumn foliage.
The Ginkgo and Maple trees near Tokyo National Museum are particularly beautiful, and the combination with the buildings and their reflection in the pond are popular photography spots. The Ginkgo behind the Statue of Saigo Takamori is also magnificent, and in autumn you can enjoy the beautiful landscape of the statue and Ginkgo together.
Additionally, the autumn foliage at Ueno Toshogu Shrine and Shinobazu Pond are also attractive. Ueno Park has various autumn foliage spots, so please enjoy exploring them during this special Ueno Event November 2025 season.
3 Must-See Art Events to Enjoy in the Artistic District of "Ueno"
Ueno is also famous as an artistic district due to its numerous art museums. In autumn, many special exhibitions are held at the art museums within Ueno Park, and they are bustling with art lovers every day.
From here, we'll introduce 3 must-see art events you can enjoy in Ueno during this remarkable Ueno Event November 2025 period. If you're wondering which art museum to visit, please use this as a reference.
Shosoin THE SHOW - Feel. The Miracle That Exists Here and Now
Source:Official website
From September 20 to November 9, The Ueno Royal Museum will hold a special exhibition called "Shosoin THE SHOW." Shosoin is a warehouse at Todaiji Temple in Nara with 1,300 years of history, storing treasures related to the Japanese Emperor, and it was registered as a World Heritage Site in 1997.
The exhibition uses high-performance 3D digital data to faithfully recreate the fine details of the treasures that were in Shosoin. The details and textures that are difficult to see with the naked eye are reproduced exactly as they were in ancient times, so you're sure to be moved by the incredible beauty of these treasures.
You can also learn about the history of Shosoin and the reasons why these treasures were collected, so if you want to take this opportunity to learn about Japanese history, please visit.
Information:
- Dates: September 20, 2025 November 9, 2025
- Access: 3-minute walk from JR Ueno Station Park Exit / 5-minute walk from Tokyo Metro Ueno Station
- Admission: General: 2,300 yen (same day), 2,100 yen (advance) / High school and university students: 1,700 yen (same day), 1,500 yen (advance) / Elementary and junior high students: 1,100 yen (same day), 900 yen (advance)
- Website: https://shosoin-the-show.jp/tokyo/
Van Gogh Exhibition - The Artist's Dream Connected by Family
Source:PR TIMES
At Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum in Ueno Park, a Van Gogh exhibition will be held from September to December. More than 30 representative works will be displayed, centered on works housed in Amsterdam's Van Gogh Museum.
In this exhibition, four letters written by Van Gogh himself will be revealed in Japan for the first time. Many collections carefully preserved by Van Gogh's surviving family members will also be displayed, making this a valuable exhibition where you can learn about Van Gogh's humanity.
At the exhibition, you can not only see paintings but also learn in detail about what Van Gogh was thinking and how he approached his art. If you want to learn deeply about Van Gogh, this is a must-see exhibition.
Information:
- Dates: September 12, 2025 December 21, 2025
- Access: 7-minute walk from JR Ueno Station Park Exit / 10-minute walk from Tokyo Metro Ueno Station Exit 7
- Admission: General: 2,100 yen (advance), 2,300 yen (same day) / University and vocational school students: 1,100 yen (advance), 1,300 yen (same day) / 65 and over: 1,400 yen (advance), 1,600 yen (same day)
- Website: https://gogh2025-26.jp/
Special Exhibition "The Great Extinction Exhibition - The Big Five of Life History"
Source:Official website
At the National Museum of Nature and Science, a special exhibition called "Daizetsumetsu-ten" (The Great Extinction Exhibition) will be held from November. This exhibition focuses on the five mass extinction events, commonly known as "The Big Five," that occurred during the 4 billion years since life began, and this is the first time in 10 years it's being held.
This special exhibition allows you to learn about the evolution of life. The venue features a large globe with video, which explains in an easy-to-understand way how The Big Five occurred in Earth's history. There are also models where you can experience volcanic activity, allowing you to learn about natural mechanisms from scratch.
Additionally, specimens from the Denver Museum of Nature and Science are also must-see. Learn about Earth's mysteries in Ueno during this fascinating Ueno Event November 2025.
Information:
- Dates: November 1, 2025 February 23, 2026
- Access: 5-minute walk from JR Ueno Station Park Exit / 10-minute walk from Tokyo Metro Ueno Station Exit 7
- Admission: General and university students: 2,100 yen (advance), 2,300 yen (same day) / Elementary, junior high, and high school students: 500 yen (advance), 600 yen (same day)
- Website: https://daizetsumetsu.jp/
3 Must-See Ueno Events for November 2025 to Enjoy Around the Area
From here, we will introduce 3 must-see Ueno Event November 2025 options that you can enjoy in the surrounding area.
In Tokyo, various events are held in November when full-fledged autumn arrives. If you want to make your November Tokyo sightseeing more fulfilling, please use this as a reference.
Asakusa Tori no Ichi
Asakusa Torinoichi is a festival held every November at Chokokuji to pray for good fortune and business prosperity. This is a historic festival that began in the Edo period, and on the festival day, Kumade decorated with gorgeous ornaments are sold within the temple grounds.
Kumade means Bear Hand, and it has been treated as an auspicious item because it means that you can grasp good fortune with big hands. Therefore, every year at Torinoichi, many merchants come to Asakusa to compete in buying large Kumade, wishing for business prosperity.
Many food stalls are set up within the grounds of Chokokuji, where you can purchase traditional Japanese Wagashi and small items perfect for souvenirs. It's an enjoyable festival just to look at the beautiful Kumade, so please enjoy the excitement.
Information:
- Date: November 12, 2025, November 24, 2025
- Access: 7-minute walk from Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line Iriya Station Exit 3 / 8-minute walk from Tsukuba Express Asakusa Station
- Admission: Free
- Website: https://torinoichi.jp/
Bunkyo Chrysanthemum Festival
Source:Bunkyo City
Bunkyo Chrysanthemum Festival is a festival held every November at Yushima Tenjin. During the event, approximately 2,000 Chrysanthemum plants are displayed within Yushima Tenjin, creating a gorgeous atmosphere.
The attraction is that you can see various types of Chrysanthemum, including Chrysanthemum Dolls dressed in flower costumes and Thousands of Flowers where many flowers bloom from a single plant. It's famous as a festival that announces the arrival of autumn, and many people from all over the country flock here.
I also visited here in November and was healed by the artistic Chrysanthemum decorations and the pleasant fragrance of the flowers. It's a good opportunity to learn about the beauty of Chrysanthemum, so please visit.
Information:
- Date: November 1-23, 2025
- Access: 2-minute walk from Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line Yushima Station Exit 3 / 5-minute walk from Tokyo Metro Ginza Line Ueno-Hirokoji
- Admission: Free
- Website: https://www.city.bunkyo.lg.jp/b014/p003949.html
30th Anniversary Exhibition "ALL OF EVANGELION"
Source:Mori Building
At Mori Building in Roppongi, an event called "ALL OF EVANGELION" commemorating the 30th anniversary of the popular anime "EVANGELION" will be held from November 15.
This is an event where you can learn about the appeal of EVANGELION, which is popular not only in Japan but also overseas. At the venue, anime production materials and Cell drawings that have never been released before will be displayed. Since you can learn about the atmosphere of the production site from when the anime was broadcast, anime fans will definitely be excited.
At the venue entrance, a massive EVANGELION with overwhelming presence is displayed to welcome visitors. There are also abundant materials and videos related to the movie series released after the anime broadcast, so this is a must-see event for EVANGELION fans.
Information:
- Date: November 14, 2025 - January 12, 2016
- Access: 3-minute walk from Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line Roppongi Station Exit 1C
- Admission: Inquiries required
- Website: https://allofevangelion-ex.roppongihills.com/
To Deeply Enjoy One of Tokyo's Premier Local Towns, Local Guide Assistance is Essential!
If you want to enjoy Yanaka, known as one of Tokyo's popular local towns, join a tour where you can enjoy walking around the town with a guide. In the tour, you can explore Tokyo's Yanaka with a guide and enjoy sightseeing while feeling the daily life of local people.
In the tour, you will visit Shrines in Yanaka and learn about worship methods and manners while listening to the guide's explanations. After that, visit a traditional house Cafe and participate in a class where you can enjoy coloring Beckoning Cats, which are said to bring good fortune.
I also participated in this tour and was able to learn about Tokyo's charms that I had never known before. If you want to peek into Tokyo's deep lifestyle, this tour is recommended.
Meeting Point: Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line Nezu Station
Tour Area: Yanaka
Start Time: 13:30