Japan Days in town 2026

Japan returns to Rome with the Japan Days, the festival celebrating the culture of the Rising Sun in all its nuances. For two days, Saturday, February 28th and Sunday, March 1st, the spaces of the historic Atlantico Live – EUR concert and events venue will be transformed to take us on a wonderful journey through flavors, traditional arts, sports, games, and fun for adults and children alike.

A unique event that allows us to discover and learn about Japanese culture, offering a wide range of creative and cultural workshops, open to all ages. Among this year's new features is the Semamori workshop, led by Michela Martire, an expert in sashiko embroidery, where participants can try their hand at making an Asanoha pincushion talisman, traditionally sewn by Japanese mothers behind their children's kimono to protect them from evil. There will also be workshops in kintsugi (ancient Japanese art of repairing broken ceramic objects by joining the fragments with lacquer and gold or silver powder), shodō (calligraphy), origami (the Japanese art of paper folding), bonsai, kokedama (ancient Japanese gardening technique), ikebana (ancient Japanese art of flower arranging), manga drawing, as well as Japanese language and culture courses.

Martial arts enthusiasts can watch spectacular sporting performances with demonstrations of karate, jujitsu, kendo, and kumiken, experiencing the discipline and beauty of Japanese arts firsthand.

In the Food Area, you can find authentic street food from matsuri (traditional Japanese festivals): onigiri, takoyaki, gyoza, karē (Japanese curry), karage, dorayaki, dango, mochi, and much more. There's also a Konbini minimarket with a corner inspired by Japanese neighborhood shops open 24 hours a day. Additionally, there will be matcha tea tastings and a Sake Class led by sake sommelier Kana Cappelli of Shibataya.

Not to mention IncanTales, which organizes a Cosplay Contest, a competition-show where cosplayers showcase their creations. The official patron and judge of the event is the renowned writer Licia Troisi, considered one of the most important voices in contemporary Italian fantasy.

Other events include the enchanting show by the Taiko Trio, the only all-female Taiko Drums group in Italy, unleashing all their energy and power; the Kimono Tales of traditional Japanese drums with Maestra Fumiko Oh; the Ghibli World concert with music inspired by Studio Ghibli films; Kyogen, the comic samurai theater; and Flow Art Performance by Grace Karmatek, who brings the show Yuki-onna, loosely inspired by the legends of the “snow woman,” a ghostly creature from Japanese folklore; and the live Hannya show inspired by Noh theater and the story of the famous demon.

And finally, for the little ones, there are many games and activities, such as Japanese fishing and Go (a famous strategy game).

In short, a true celebration, offering a complete immersion in the culture of the Land of the Rising Sun, from its ancient tradition to modern pop culture.

For the complete program of the event, please visit the official website: www.japandays.it/programma/

Photo: official poster of the event