Japan Days April 25 and 26, 2026

The Japan Days return to Rome on April 25 and 26 in a spring-like setting at Atlantico Live (EUR), with a new edition packed with events spanning two full days, combining tradition and modernity, including authentic food, culture, music, martial arts, entertainment for all ages, and 100 exhibitors from across the country. Visitors will also have the opportunity to participate in workshops and many activities.

Among the workshops, we particularly highlight those on kintsugi (an ancient Japanese art of repairing broken ceramics using lacquer and gold dust), shodō (calligraphy), Japanese language, mizuhiki (a traditional Japanese art of creating decorative knots using thin, starched paper strings), origami, bonsai, ikebana, kodekama (an ancient Japanese cultivation technique), manga drawings, and much more. We also highlight the presence of art director and illustrator Laura Zavalloni with the workshop Drawing Miyazaki's Japan, for all anime and manga lovers.
As for food culture, the public will be able to taste the best of Japanese street food, such as onigiri, kare rice, yakitori, takoyaki, and gyoza, as well as participate in matcha tea tastings, sake lessons, and live cooking shows, where they can learn how to prepare different traditional Japanese dishes under the guidance of famous chefs.

Among the special guests we remember Yosuke Aikawa, a modern Japanese samurai and katana master, who presents sword demonstrations, and Japanese watercolorist Ayano Otani, who is the protagonist of two unmissable workshops and a talk on the beauty of Japanese illustrations. Martial arts enthusiasts can watch exciting karate and judo demonstrations. And for the little ones, there will be plenty of games and activities, such as face painting, Japanese fishing, and the kapla playground. IncanTales will also host a cosplay meeting space with karaoke and entertainment all day.

There will be space also for exhibitions: Hanami, curated by the PencilArt School, Sampuru – The Illusion of Taste, about the Japanese art form of creating realistic replicas of ready-made dishes, and the Travel Notebooks exhibition by Laura Zavalloni, which illustrates various sketches collected over years of exploration, travel, emotions, and memories.

Finally, among the performances we highlight: Kpop, Kimono Tales with Maestro Fumiko Oh, the Ghibli World concert with soprano Erika Nakanishi, Kyogen, the samurai comedy theater, and Flow Art Performance by Grace Karmatek.

All events offer a truly immersive experience, showcasing Japanese culture in all its different aspects, from ancient traditions to contemporary pop culture.

To discover all the activities and book workshops: www.japandays.it

Photo: official poster of the event