10 Things to Do in Tokyo in November

If you are looking for things to see and do in Tokyo and you are travelling in November, I have good news for you: celebrations and festivals are the order of the day during this month. You'll be able to see multiple dance performances, traditional festivals and observe particular customs that will enchant you.

Also, the weather in November is ideal as it doesn't get too cold, even though it's approaching the end of autumn. You can stroll around Shinto shrines during the day, visit museums and gardens for free and much more. Would you like to experience this?

The Yabusame event is held during the first 3 days of November at Meiji Jingu Sh rine in Tokyo. It is an archery on horseback, a very ancient military technique used by the samurai. Nowadays this practice is a great spectacle that attracts many people, both locals and tourists who want to see the skills of archers reviving traditions.

Going to the temple and witnessing this event is definitely one of the must-see ninja/samurai experiences in Tokyo. Like many other Japanese practices, Yabusame is also a Shinto religious ritual. Its aim is to entertain the kami, i.e. the Shinto gods, in order to gain their favour.

During the ritual it is customary to pray for good harvests and it is believed that if the archer hits many targets, there will be a good harvest. There are also prayers for fertility, prayers for peace and prayers to ward off bad things. If you go to this event, in addition to witnessing the prayers, you will see that the archers are dressed in traditional samurai attire and use special arrows that sound like a small whistle as they fly through the air.

Practical information

• Location: Meiji Jingu Shrine in Shibuya, Tokyo.
• When to go: 1 to 3 November.
• Price: free admission.
• Hours: Open during the day.

The Bunkyo Kiku Matsuri or Bunkyo Chrysanthemum Festival is a celebration held at the Yushima Tenmangu shrine in the Bunkyo district of Tokyo. Students, the main beneficiaries of this festival, come to the shrine to make offerings to Tenji, the deity of scholars and students.

The chrysanthemum is the plant symbol of the Japanese Imperial Family, so in this month it is used to decorate the shrine. There is also an exhibition of dolls decorated with these flowers. If you come to this shrine, be prepared to take beautiful pictures where you can capture the beauty of all the flower arrangements.

If you like the idea, you can add this event to a photo tour in Tokyo, so you can get the best pictures with flower backgrounds. If you are a student, you can use the occasion to pray to Tenji for your academic life, as tradition dictates.

Practical information

• Location: Yushima Tenmangu Shrine, in the Bunkyo district of Tokyo.
• When to go: 1 to 23 November
• Price: free admission.
• Time: Activities take place during the day, starting at 10am.

The Tori No Ichi Fair or Rooster Festival is a celebration held at various Buddhist temples and shrines throughout Japan. During this event participants pray for business success, good luck and prosperity. You are interested:

• In Tokyo you can go to this event at the Otorio shrine in the Asakusa district, and even take the opportunity to book a tour of Asakusa, or you also have the possibility to see it at the Chokoku temple.
• The specific days of the fair vary from year to year as it follows the old Chinese calendar, but fall in the current month of November, either early or mid-November. There are usually two or three days interspersed between weeks during this month.

This is an activity you can include in your list of things to do at night in Tokyo or, for example, book a pub crawl in Tokyo. The start of Rooster Day is marked at midnight with the sound of Japanese taiko drums. A market is also open 24 hours in a row. According to the Chinese calendar there can be more than two Rooster Days in November. Depending on the day, the name of the market will change. The first day is called Ichi No Tori, the second Ni No Tori and the third San No Tori.

When you go to the fair I suggest you buy engi kumada or good luck rakes. These are talismans made of bamboo that bring good luck to the person who has them. You can also take part in the tradition of clapping hands. When the shopkeeper in a shop shouts "I!", you, the buyer, should clap your hands together with the seller in the same rhythm. This little tradition is done to ask for prosperity, do you dare to ask for prosperity at this fair?

Practical information

• Location: Asakusa Otorio Shrine and Chokoku Temple, Tokyo.
• When to go: during the month of November. The exact date depends on the Chinese calendar. Usually two or three separate days.
• Price: Free admission.
• Time: The Rooster Day(s) start at midnight and last for 24 hours.

Traveller Tip
If you don't know the area it can be difficult to find your way around at night, so I recommend staying close to where the event takes place if you want to attend this fair from the beginning, i.e. at midnight.

The Autumn Leaves Festival is held at Mount Takao from 2 November for the whole month and is organised by the Hachiōji Convention and Visitors Association, a city in Tokyo where the event is held. You can participate in this celebration without paying entrance fees. I recommend you go if you like the mountain atmosphere and want to see colourful cultural manifestations that welcome autumn.

This festival takes place on weekends and features concerts and taiko drumming performances. If you like traditional Japanese dances, this festival is ideal for you to see yosakoi dance performances. These events are held in the square next to Kiyotaki Station.

If you want to eat a typical Japanese food, I recommend you to buy sake served in traditional wooden boxes. If you like this food, I recommend you to take a gastronomic tour in Tokyo to taste all the flavours of this great metropolis. Do you dare to live this experience?

Practical information

• Location: Mount Takao in the city of Hachiōji, Tokyo.
• When to go: from 2 November to the end of the month, every weekend.
• Price: Free admission.
• Hours: Activities take place during the day.

The protagonists of the Hachioji Ginkgo Festival are the ginkgo trees. These trees were planted in the Showa era and protect the town on the Koshu roadside of Hachioji. There are about 770 trees stretching 4 kilometres from Oiwakecho in Hachioji to Takao Station. In autumn the leaves of these trees turn a beautiful yellow colour that delights the eyes of passers-by. Would you like to see them live? Come and join this festival!

One of the customs of this celebration is to take a block of wood known as tsuko tegata. This object was used as a travel permit or passport during the Edo period in Japan. The tradition in this festival is to go through the 12 old checkpoints with this old passport that you can buy in one of the festival shops.

Another activity that I recommend you to do in this celebration is to walk around the bazaar and taste the typical food of this town. I also invite you to see the parades that showcase classic cars from the Showa period. Without a doubt, this festival will take you on a journey into Japan's past. Do you like the idea?

Practical information

• Location: Hachiōji City, on Koshu Road, Tokyo.
• When to go: During November, every weekend.
• Price: Free admission.
• Hours: Activities take place during the day.

If you are in Tokyo until the end of November you can take the opportunity to see the Rikugien Garden Illumination. This light show runs until 12 December. To see it you can go at dusk and stay in the gardens until 9pm.

Get your camera ready to take the best pictures in the light of the park. The spectacle reveals the beautiful autumn colours. Thanks to the night light you will also be able to see the reflection of the trees in the main garden pond. Feel like in a fairy tale as you walk along the illuminated paths of this beautiful place.

As a fun fact, the name Rikugien refers to the six elements present in traditional Japanese poetry. Inside the garden you will find several references to waka poems. If you want to know more details, I recommend you to choose a private tour in Tokyo that includes a visit to this garden.

In addition to strolling around, you can also enjoy a matcha green tea in one of the tea houses. These are Fukiage Chaya, Takimi no Chaya or Tsutsuji Chaya. Each is located in different parts of the garden so you can easily reach them.

Practical information

• Location: Rikugien Gardens, Bunkyo-ku residential area, Tokyo.
• When to go: from late November to 12 December.
• Price: free admission.
• Opening hours: during the day.

The Aki No Fujiwara Matsuri or Fujiwara Autumn Festival is a celebration held in Hiraizumi, Iwate prefecture, 3 hours from Tokyo city. This is one of the things to see in Tokyo if you stay for 7 days, as with more time you can explore the surrounding areas of Japan's capital. You can also explore the gold culture for which Hiraizumi is popular.

A tribute to the Fujiwara clan is held on November 1st. There are also traditional dances known as kagura and parades of children dressed in traditional kimonos. On 2 November it is time for the chrysanthemum memorial service. In this activity, participants exchange a chrysanthemum flower for a flower that has been blessed.

You can also add this celebration to your list of things to do in Tokyo in autumn, as one of the activities is precisely the Ennen no Mai rites, a dance to ask for longevity that is performed during this season of the year. Finally, on the third day it will be a perfect opportunity for you to see local artistic performances such as the Noh theatre, where masks are commonly worn.

Practical information

• Location: Hiraizumi, Iwate Prefecture, 3 hours from Tokyo. I recommend going and returning the same day by bullet train, where you can also take interesting tours.
• When to go: 1 to 3 November
• Price: free admission.
• Opening hours: activities take place during the day, starting at 10 am.

Bunka no hi or Culture Day is a Japan-wide public holiday celebrated every year on November 3rd. The purpose of this day is to promote culture, academia and art. If you are travelling to Tokyo during this time, I recommend you visit the Tokyo National Museum. Why? Well, because you can visit this and other museums without paying admission, as it is a day of national celebration, promoting cultural activities.

During the Culture Day you will find different art exhibitions and activities in which you can participate, many of them inside the Tokyo National Museum. Its collection has more than 110 thousand works of art, but I suggest that, in the framework of the Culture Day, you don't miss the Honkan, which is the Japanese gallery of the museum.

Here you will be able to see a small part of Japanese imperial history, because in the past this date was celebrated as the birthday of Emperor Meiji, and after many years the celebration was changed to Culture Day.

The Shichi-go-san Festival, which translates into English as "seven, five and three", is an event held every year on 15 November throughout Japan. It is a celebration in which boys aged 3 and 5 and girls aged 3 and 7 participate. It is the most important Shinto event of the month, praying for the health of the youngest members of the household and celebrating their growth.

Part of the custom of this ritual is for parents to take their children to local Shinto shrines. The children for the first time wear traditional Japanese clothing, with beautiful kimonos for girls and for boys, haori jackets and hakama trousers. At the shrine parents must pay the Shinto monk for the prayer ceremony.

Some recommendations:

• I recommend visiting the Hie Jinja shrine, located in the Akasaka district of Tokyo. Although the actual celebration is on 15 November, it will be normal during this month to see children dressed in traditional costumes visiting this and other temples.
• I also recommend buying a sweet called chitoseame, which means "longevity candy". Children eat this candy, which is sold in a bag decorated with pictures of cranes and turtles that also symbolises a long and prosperous life. It can be found in the shops around the temples.

Practical information

• Location: Hie Jinja Shrine, located in Akasaka Ward, Tokyo.
• When to go: 15 November.
• Price: free admission.
• Opening hours: during the day.

During the first weekend of November, the Dream Yosakoi Festival is held in Tokyo. I recommend you to go to this festival if you like traditional dances because during this celebration yosakoi dances are performed. Around 800 teams and approximately 6,000 dancers participate in this show. What are you waiting for to see this incredible show?

This festival originated in Kochi prefecture in 1954 to revive the economy of the region after the war. Although this festival is now organised in various parts of the country, the biggest event of all is held in Tokyo. The dances have the distinction of being noisy and very energetic. Each dancer holds a bird's bell, called a naruko, in each hand.

To see it you can go to one of the five stages located on the island of Odaiba, Tokyo. Most of these stages are located near the Fuji TV building. Dances are also performed in front of the old Tokyo Station building and are open to the public.

Practical information

• Location: Odaiba Island, Tokyo.
• When to go: first weekend in November.
• Price: free admission.
• Hours: during the day.

November is a special month to travel to Tokyo as after the summer the temperatures drop just enough without being too cold. Because of this there are a lot of outdoor festivals and celebrations.

Temperatures range from 5°C on the coldest day to 22°C on the hottest day, but average around 10°C. The day also has about nine hours of sunshine a day. The day also has about nine hours of sunshine and very little rainfall. Cloud cover gradually decreases during the month, so you can expect to see clear, sunny days.

November is one of the most recommended months to visit Tokyo. This is due to the good weather in autumn and the amount of things to do. However, you should be more cautious as there is a noticeable influx of tourists on the streets. Many people prefer to travel in November rather than in December and January, when the cold weather is at its worst.

As there are more tourists, prices tend to rise. For example, a room in a 3-star hotel can cost an average of €140. That's why I recommend booking as much as you can in advance to get good prices.

The weather in November, as I mentioned earlier, is neither too cold nor too hot. It can vary depending on the day, so I recommend that you pack a few jumpers. In cooler weather you can take light T-shirts or dresses. If you are travelling at the end of November and plan to stay for the first few days of December, I do recommend that you take a light coat.

You will probably be walking to visit shrines and other sites. So it's best to bring your sunscreen and avoid getting sunburnt. It doesn't matter if it's cold: the sun still burns. It's also a good idea to wear comfortable shoes, especially if you plan to hike in the mountains or visit parks and gardens. November is a cold month but full of things to do, so I recommend that you always focus on maximum comfort.