October is the month for circus in Tokyo : Setagaya Public Theater invites as usual an overseas circus company. Vessel is the name of the performance brought from Sweden, to raise moods and spirits with their acrobatics, juggling, tightroping, wheeling, and other balance challenges from October 23 to 25. To be noted, there will be workshops for adults (October 21st, evening) and youngsters (October 24, afternoon).

YouTube video by 慶應義塾大学アート・センター Keio University Art Center

“Morimur” – Latin for “We are dying”. Loss and prayer are concealed within J.S. Bach’s “Chaconne”, as well as a yearning for rebirth. This work, born of choreographer Jo Kanamori’s long engagement with the music piece, carries within it “solo for 2”, created in 2012, and now takes shape as a new work of dance. To gaze upon death is to gaze upon life, and Noism continues exploration of body and spirit.

20 years after its creation, The Bee will be performed in November at Honda Theater (Tokyo). This provocative play, where the would-be victim becomes the agressor, has been very successful. Dark, ironic, repulsive, twisted... The atmosphere is quite different from the more consensual Fahrenheit -320. Noda is one of the few directors who book a theater for a month and sell out.

Through her work with Kegawazoku in the 2000s—a group described as creating frenetic, chaotic stages—Junko Emoto, a devoted entertainer who continually reinvents herself, bringing a festive energy and humor, challenged conventions surrounding femininity and bodily representation. From October 16 to 18, we can experience her performance, "A Play to Watch When You Feel Lonely at Midnight". In this work, Emoto weaves words and humor that resonate from one lesbian to another into the theatrical landscape.

Miyuki Ishibashi has dedicated her art to Russian popular songs, singing in Russian music and scores she started to collect in the streets of Moscow, while she was studying, quite some time ago. Each year, she holds a concert at Kinokuniya hall, this time on October 3rd. Accompanied by a great band, cello, accordion, piano, drums, and playing the guitar, she puts her whole heart in bringing us the passion and drama of the unvoluntary heroes of her songs : prisoners, gypsies, a dying soldier watched by a crow, convicted lesbians, drunkards, haunted by memories, longing for a better future.

What a great opening for this extraordinary anniversary. Rion Nishikawa, Moeko Uematsu, Ami Muto interpreted with talent and passion powerful masterpieces of Kim Itoh, Asami Ida and Kaho Kagure, bringing tension to the (literally) concrete and elegant scene of SHK, while Ayane Yasaka ended with grace and laughter the session intepreting a solo from Ryohei Kondo. In the evening, the choregraphs are dancing their own works through.

The National Theater, currently closed for renovation, will be performing Bunraku #for beginners# in Koto-ku cultural center from September 15th to September 20th. For a competitive price (6000 JPY) you will be able to enjoy fully Bunraku : it is always painful to have audio interfering with the performance and accompanying music, and it is rare to have English subtitles. Chushingura Kanadehon, which is based on the story of the 47 ronin (but in a different, remote period so as not to stir memories of unjustice) will be presented, along another play and an explanatory piece on the art of Japanese pupet plays. Booking and info here. Program - PartI: Ninin Sanbasō (The Two Sanbasō)/PartII: An introduction to Bunraku/PartIII: Kanadehon Chūshingura (The Treasury of Forty-Seven Loyal Retainers)

In 2026, Dance Now Asia will be held in Tokyo. From October 20 to 25, choregraphers and contemporary dancers from all over Asia, from Indonesia to Japan, including Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan, will perform at Za Koenji. There will be programs featuring 3 different countries each, as well Showcase programs. On top of that, 2 workshops will be held, one butoh workshop with Ikko Tamura from Dairakudakan, and one with an Indonesian choregraph.

Nadia Beugré, a choregrapher from Ivory Coast, partners with dancers Aya and Christelle. Drawing from their experiences, these women present a powerful, vibrant, and fiercely resolute resistance to the social oppression that persists in their community and around the world, including patriarchy and the norms imposed on women’s bodies. From October 23 to 25, in Tokyo Metropolitan Theater (Ikebukuro)

On October 3 and 4, the famous Portuguese director is bringing another masterpiece to Kyoto Theatre Rohm. In English, subtitled in Japanese. Marking the highly anticipated Japan premiere of a masterpiece restaged throughout the world since its opening in 2013, By Heart blends personal memories and collective histories while presenting shared memory and its inheritance as a tool of resistance. We cannot forget Tiago Rodrigues last performances in Japan in Shizuoka, and this one again is a must - at least for Kansai people.

How to extend Bon Odori and Awa Odori festivals we already miss so much ? Za Koenji, in conjunction with Tokyo Land Fes, gives us a chance to feel the summer festivities again on September 26 and 27. NEW Baka-Odori 2026 is an immersive dance performance using Augmented Reality (AR), inspired by Baka-Odori, a dance festival that originated in Koenji in 1957 and is regarded as one of the roots of today's Koenji Awa Odori Festival.

See here our selection for October to November 2026

Eric Maria Couturier will play the cello and inspire renowned Akaji Maro butoh dancer in continuation of their recent partnership. In the tracks of the Alter Ego performance in Nanterre, where the famous Intercomporain orchester member and Paris conservatoire professor was playing Bach's solo cello suites, while Akaji Maro was interpreting his music through his art of butoh, the duet will be on stage in SPT from October 29 to November 1st.

This is not about a personal situation - at least not as far as I am concerned... From October 16 to 18, Tokyo Metropolitan theater will feature a very interesting works, Mi Madre y el dinero, from Mexican author Anacarsis Ramos. It will be one of the most interesting plays from the rich Autumn Meteorites festival. Through the story of a mother and son, torn apart from the difficulties of life in Campeche, Yucatan, this documentary theatre will illustrate the development of the economy and the society, and their impact on individuals and relationships. Played in Spanish, it will be subtitled in English and Japanese.

A leading choregraph on the European scene, Hofesh Shechter will bring his signature works Theater of Dreams to Saitama and Aichi during his Autumn tour, planned on October 16 and 17 in Nagoya and October 23 to 25 in Saitama Arts Theater. The dancers’ bodies will bring to life on stage this interplay between poetry and reality, accompanied by a small band of musicians playing to the backdrop of Shechter’s trademark cinematic sound-score. Picturegoers can find the sensations they felt while watching Cédric Klapisch's En corps.

Since opening in 1991, Session House has been dedicated to supporting the creation and presentation of contemporary dance, providing a place where artists of different generations can meet, collaborate, and develop new forms of physical expression. To mark this milestone, Session House will celebrate its 35thAnniversary from September 19 to 27, through a nine-day Festival built around three themes: The Power of Masterpieces, The Power of History, and The Power of the Future.

From August 27 to August 30, Naoya Oda will present his 2025 creation, Island Stories. In a logical continuation to the choregraphic and live music dialogue held in 2026 by Akaji Maro with a French cellist at Kochuten, Dairakudakan's hide will feature a dialogue between Okinawa traditional shimaute singer Anna Sato and the Dairakudakan dancer, under the rythms of taiko drummer Masayuki Sakamoto, summoning the spirits of Amami highland. NB : Akaji Maro and Paul Marie Couturier will perform again in late 2026, in Setagaya Public Theater

From October 9 to November 1st, the second edition of Autumn Meteorites will take place in Tokyo Metropolitan Theater. Over a month, 13 works from Japan to Spain, including Germany and Russia, from contemporary dance to theater and noh, will be performed in Ikebukuro.Most of the plays will be accessible in English, either as original language or as subtitled pieces.

In apocalyptic times, monsters bloom. They become the symbol of the crisis and dance with us to the sound of doom, such as zombies. Human-like, yet soulless mutated beings mutated. Series like “The Last of Us” or “The Walking Dead” give impressive testimony to our ongoing fascination with the undead life. The Japanese writer and director Toshiki Okada takes a reverse stance in his new play, …

A new space for performing arts is opening in Tokyo. Director Hiroshi Koike is launching Odyssey Creative Center, a space to mix performing arts experiences, and favor creativity throughout various forms and genres. To celebrate this new adventure of Pappa Tarahumara founder, a festival will take place from July 17th to July 20th. Tickets will give access to a number of diverse performances, live music including Gagaku jazz (yes, Gagaku jazz !!!), contemporary dance and other screenings, talks and performances. Program can be found here.

Dairakudakan, the famous butoh company established in 1972 and still headed by Akaji Maro, one of the most famous butoh dancers and choregraphers still alive, was chosen by Dance Box Kobe selection series 2026 for their revisited Rite of Spring, choregraphed by Jongye Yang and created in late 2025. This is a great chance to see an exciting works, one of my preferred performances of 2025, from September 4 to 6, in Kansai, and this really is not to be missed.

Noism, Niigata famous contemporary dance company, will perform on July 25 and 26 two choregraphies at Saitama Arts Foundation : an original interpretation of the Rite of spring, and a creation inspired by 2oth century writer Ango Sakaguchi on a music by Eric Satie. A full program to enjoy this leading company, headed by Jo Kanamori. Further to Ryohei Kondo Company Grande own version of Stravinsky's work, and ahead of Dairakudakan very own and private Rite of spring which will be revived in Kobe in September, another view on this masterpiece. As of July 5th, there are still seats available.

The summer festival of Suzuki Company of Toga is a unique experience in the world of theatre and performing arts. During 10 days, from August 28th to September 6th, in a remote area on the sea of Japan side, in the heart of the mountains, passionate people meet and assist to the company's unique plays. Noism dance company, settled in Niigata, will also join and present some works.

After the usual underground performance - with all due respect, Angura has so many qualities in Japan - Wakaba Coffee is going to the next step, and will stage a revised version of Anthropophagy ball (Refeast) in Za Koenji theatre. Performing in a major theater will be a first (as far as I know) for Kohei Wakaba. A former member of Dairakudakan, the butoh dancer and choregrapher is teaming again with great butoh (and contemporary) dancers : Kim Itoh, Temmetsu, and his usual accomplice Mana Kawamura to name a few.

TMT continue their Tokyo Borderless Theatre Projects in 2026, and are looking for foreign participants/actors. There were 2 projects/path in 2025, one being The door of memories, the other Exploring Ikebukuro. Held in やさしい　日本語, the actors will interact to define a project / play based on their experience. Foreigners can apply for this short term and intense program, which will result in a performance on September 27, after 6 workshops starting early August.

Mixing theater, dance, Japanese tradition (with a Noh actor, a Japanese traditional Buyoh dancer and Japanese shakuhachi flute) and urban culture (including a Parkour artist and a rapper/percussionist), Journey to world nostalgia has all the features of a total spectacle and performance. Performed in multiple languages - remember Drive my car ? - and pushed by action and performance, the spectacle can be fully enjoyed by non Japanese speakers.

Le rire ne connaît pas le repos. ImproTokyo vous accueille à nouveau le 13 juin, sous la férule de Thomas Sagnard, qui nous a bien réjoui dans Le dîner de cons. Réservation et renseignements : improtokyo@outlook.fr

L'acteur français a quitté Tokyo, pour présenter son solo, si émouvant, dans les provinces japonaises. Les dates à venir sont les suivantes SHIZUOKA｜2026.06.07 公演詳細MIYAGI｜2026.06.16 公演詳細ISHIKAWA｜石川 2026.06.20 公演詳細KOCHI｜高知 2026.06.27 公演詳細FUKUOKA｜福岡 2026.07.04YAMAGUCHI｜ 26.07.06 – 08 公演詳細KYOTO｜京都 2026.07.11 – 07.12 公演詳細AICHI｜愛知 2026.07.14 – 07.15 公演詳細OKAYAMA｜岡山 26.07.18 – 19 公演詳細 C'est une chance unique de découvrir l'intime de cet acteur célèbre, sa face cachée, une grande leçon de modestie et de rêve. A consommer sans modération - à la différence des bouteilles de vin de riz fermenté Dassai offertes aux heureux spectateurs de ce très beau spectacle.

We just released our list of recommended theater plays, contemporary dance shows, ballets, and so on, for the months of July, August and September 2026. This is a first draft, and it will get richer as new programs are publicized - stay tuned.

From July 22 to 29, Larumbe Danza, a Spanish company known for its dance x 3D video series, proposes a completely new immersive dance program that fuses VR (virtual reality) with live performance! 4 short VR pieces are presented, in which the public can immerse himself, while a 15 mn live performance, Whispers of the time, will also be presented.

The New National Theatre Tokyo has been running the "Ballet for Children" series since 2009. For their fifteenth session, they will be performing from July 23 to July 27 an original 1h30 minutes ballet based on Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, Story of a Little Mermaid, featuring music from Debussy and Massenet.

In the heart of the summer, from July 21st to July 23, refresh mind and body in Theater Tram. Two Canadian circus artists, unconstrained by physical size or gender, switch roles and ask the question, "What does fairness really mean?" Questioning N.Ormes, an acrobatic performance for adults and children alike.

The National Theater, Tokyo, continues to promote the discovery of first rank kabuki for people not yet understanding all codes and arcanes. From June 5 to June 20, and particulary from June 13 to June 20, Kanadehon Chushingura - The treasury of loyal retainers, will be introduced to beginners. A 2-hour session, with support in English, will present first how to enjoy kabuki, explaining the rules and codes of this traditional theater form, followed by a 90 mn performance.

I had the chance to watch Jean Reno solo, らくだ／The camel / Le chameau premiered in Tokyo Metropolitan Theater last Sunday. I wasn't sure what to expect, given the profile of the actor, but I was in no way disappointed. It was much more emotional and intimate that I had imagined, but this was a great one man show, revealing the scars of fame, as well as its scarcity.

Session House Kagurazaka will marks its 35th Year with “Dance Bridge 2026”, Mademoiselle Cinema premiering its newest work, Fugue of That Day. And Then,over two days, June 20 (Sat) and 21 (Sun),2026 Ten years after Fugue of Sorrow. Now, dancing across a decade-long fault line. This production is part of the long-running “Dance Bridge” series, which has played a leading role in Japan’s contemporary dance scene.

For its next performance, Dairakudakan, Japan oldest Butoh company in activity, will be flipping through the pages of The Book of the Dead. Whether it is the Bardo Thödol, the Tibetan Book of the Dead, or the Egyptian one, or from another one I ignore, remains open - and we probably will have no hint until the Premiere, on July 2nd.

From June 19 to June 28, another folly of Shuji Terayama will be revived. The Ship of fools will be performed at Za Koenji public theater. It will be another disturbing and mad experience, which will bring us back to the chaos of Angura in the seventies (the play dates back to 1976). From the Middle Age to contemporary times, a ship is travelling back from the realm of the dead - is it bringing back Orpheus among its twisted crowd of fools and drunkards ?

L'atelier Café Gare de Lyon presents 2 new shows, all in French :  y, la disparition a dystopian comedy - what would the world look like if all humans disappeared and Les 7 péchés capitaux 7 comedians present the vision of 7 contemporary writers about the 7 capital sins.  On June 6th and 7th, in NakanoMore information and booking here

KAAT is inviting us to see Love beyond, a play in English / Sign language about vanishing memories and communication, by a Scottish company and one deaf actor. This very moving piece from Glasgow received many positive critics (in English here). From June 12 to June 14 in Yokohama.

From June 4 to 7, 4 performances in French, subtitled in Japane ! ! ! ! Du 4 au 7 juin, 4 représentations, en français sous-titré japonais, du Dîner de cons auquel nous sommes tous conviés. Une nouvelle occasion de rire dans la langue de Molière en notre belle capitale. La troupe Théâtre Kitsuné, nouvellement formée (?) mais comptant des acteurs aguerris, et qui nous ont déjà ébaudis lors d'improvisations mémorables, nous guérira de la morosité, au théâtre Zatsuyu de Shinjuku. Lien iciFacebook info there Japanese people will be able to follow thanks to subtitles - a great way to meddle into French comic subculture.

For Koenji Bikkuri Daidogei festival, Wakaba Coffee, in association with Wozme and Temmetsu, will be performing 2 butoh pieces, including a special remix version of Anthropophagy ball. The performances, which will take place from 1pm to 2pm and from 3 pm to 4 pm at Secion Suginami will be free of charge (free willing contribution welcome). Do not hesitate to have a try and enjoy fresh butoh in Koenji on April 24 and 25. (And you can enjoy juggling in the same place after or before)For Daidogei timetable For Wakaba CoffeeAn article on Wozme

New Session to enjoy Improvisation in French by a great team, at the cosy Our Space Hatagaya, on April 25th. Book with Tokyoimpro@outlook.fr, you will not regret - provided you speak (or hear) French.

Kichijoji Theater has disclosed the 2026/27 season line up, and we are delighted to discover that Tadashi Suzuki will be back in Tokyo in December, to direct his famous Cyrano de Bergerac - a tri-lingual experience intertwinining Russian, Chinese and Japanese.Tom Project will also return to the capital, in a great choice of contemporary dance performances, including Dance Company Arche. Kichijoji Theater Line up Past releases about Cyrano

  Not only does YPAM (Yokohama International Performing Arts Meeting) change its temporality, moving from a December event to a February event - it also renews its direction. Long term director, Hiromi Maruoka, who has served since 2005, when it was still the TPAM, stepped down, effective 31 March 2026. Moving forward, YPAM will operate with its current team under a revised structure, collectively assuming directorial responsibilities and leading operations.

Tokyo Metropolitan Theater will host the TACT festival in May, featuring all kinds of performing arts. 2 companies will come from France. Circus artists Kim Marro and Liam Lelarge will perform an acrobatic show, including balance and lifting challenges. Company Non Nova will perform the great Phia Menard solo choregraphy, magically and poetically surrounded by plastic bags puppets, fighting with the wind.

After Setagata Public theater has published their line up, it is time to publish the highlights of the 2026/2027 season in the greater Tokyo. On top of Noism and Condors, international choregraphers such as Noel Soulier, Anna Teresa de Keersmaeker, Hofesh, will tour Japan, international circus companies from Sweden or Canada will rejoice us, and we will enjoy great theater plays and operas. The summarized line up can be found here, with links to the theaters and further details.

touchstone vol.1日時：2026年4月11日（土）13時＆17時、4月12日（日）14時場所：高架下空き倉庫チケット：3000円（当日：3500円）ワカバコーヒーが12名のワークショップ生とと共に創り上げる『The Red Shoes』と、公募により選ばれた3作品の公演！自分にチャレンジする、試金石となる舞台へ！高円寺にて日時：2026年4月25日（土）、4月26日（日

Let us start the spring in laughter and in français with ImproTokyo. The French troupe will pick themes from the audience and improvise, on March 21st, 7pm, at this nice community space which is Our space Hatagaya. Pour les réservations, improtokyo arobase outlook.fr

Eric Maria Couturier will play the cello and inspire renowned Akaji Maro butoh dancer in his Kichijoji laird. In the tracks of the Alter Ego performance in Nanterre, where the famous Intercomporain orchester member and Paris conservatoire professor was playing Bach's solo cello suites, while Akaji Maro was interpreting his music through his art of butoh, the duet will be on stage in Kochuten on April 7 and 8.