Kawasaki Racecourse (川崎競馬場) in Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki (神奈川県川崎市川崎区) turns its grounds into an Okinawa festival over the September long weekend. The Kawasaki Okinawa Orion Festival (川崎・沖縄オリオン祭2026) runs from Saturday 19 to Monday 21 September 2026, a national holiday, and entry costs nothing.
You’ll find Okinawan food and drink, and a stage with eisa (エイサー) and Okinawan dance plus musicians with ties to the islands. There’s also a market of Okinawan goods with paid craft workshops, and a photo and document exhibition on the long history linking Kawasaki and Okinawa. On Saturday evening, the racecourse’s giant screen shows a hit film on the lawn, also free.
Saturday also 17:15–20:30
Hours and schedule by day
The festival is open from 10:00 to 16:00 on all three days. Saturday is the exception, with a second session from 17:15 to 20:30 that includes the free outdoor movie.
17:15–20:30Movie night
The stage, food, market, workshops and exhibition are all listed for all three days. Detailed set times haven’t been published in the announcement, so check the official event page (Japanese) for the latest.
What to eat and drink
For many visitors the food is the main draw. The organisers highlight these Okinawan favourites:
- Okinawa soba (沖縄そば)
- Goya champuru (ゴーヤチャンプルー)
- Whole-roasted agu pork (アグー豚丸焼き)
- Orion Beer
- Other Okinawan drinks
- Blue Seal ice cream
The whole-roasted agu pork is the dish the organisers promote most. Orion Beer is on sale too, and the festival takes its name from the Okinawan beer.
Stall prices and accepted payment methods aren’t in the announcement. If you want to plan a budget, check the official site or ask at the venue.
Stage shows and who’s performing
The stage is at Sun Sun Plaza and runs on all three days at no charge. The programme mixes traditional Okinawan performing arts, such as Okinawan dance and eisa, with live sets from artists who have ties to Okinawa.
Hosting the stage again this year is Okinawa-born comedian Kinjo Mekuru-kun (金城めくるくん). The announced lineup includes:
- Strike Company (ストライクカンパニー)
- Yomochi Sakura (世持桜)
- Yanbaraa Miyagi (ヤンバラー宮城)
- Johnny Ginowan (ジョニー宜野湾)
- Ikuma Akira (イクマあきら)
- Hirakawa Mika (平川美香)
- More performers to be featured
Market, workshops and the history exhibition
The market is a regular favourite at this festival and sells Okinawan goods. Alongside it, hands-on workshops let you make something to take home. The workshops are paid, and fees aren’t listed in the announcement. Themes include:
- Star sand (星砂)
- Ryukyu glass (琉球ガラス)
- Yonaguni horse papier-mâché (与那国馬はりこ)
For a quieter break from the crowds, the panel exhibition Kawasaki Racecourse and Okinawa: 100 Years (川崎競馬場・沖縄100年の歩み展) traces the long connection between the two places. It starts with Fuji Gas Spinning (富士瓦斯紡績), whose factory is where the racecourse’s history begins. It also looks at people connected to Okinawa and shows historical photos and documents. The exhibition also covers Okinawan events that continue today, such as Haisai Festa (はいさいフェスタ) and the Tsurumi Uchinaa Festival (鶴見ウチナー祭). It runs on all three days.
Saturday night: free outdoor movie
On Saturday 19 September, the racecourse also holds Green Carpet Theater in Kawasaki Racecourse, its outdoor cinema night. The film plays on Kawasaki Dream Vision (川崎ドリームビジョン), the racecourse’s giant screen, while the audience watches from the Infield Lawn Plaza (内馬場芝生広場). Entry is free.
- Film: Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (2025, 170 minutes)
- Doors: 17:15
- Screening starts: 17:45 (planned)
- Weather: cancelled in severe weather
- Parking: the racecourse car park can’t be used. Use the paid car park at Market Square Kawasaki East (マーケットスクエア川崎イースト)
The announcement doesn’t say whether the film is shown dubbed or with subtitles. If that matters to you, check the official site before you go.
The racecourse runs these screenings as a series. The next one is scheduled for Saturday 31 October, with Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024).
Getting there and parking
Three stations are within walking distance. Minatocho is by far the closest.
Keikyu Daishi Line (京急大師線)3 min walk
Keikyu Line12 min walk
JR15 min walk
If you’re driving on Saturday, note that the racecourse car park can’t be used from 16:50 onwards. Evening visitors should head for the paid car park at Market Square Kawasaki East instead. Parking arrangements for the other days aren’t spelled out in the announcement, so check the official site.
Making the festival part of a longer trip? Our guide to the Aki no Norihodai Pass, a 3-day JR local-train ticket, can help you see whether it fits your dates. For longer distances, we explain the Tokudane Special 28 Shinkansen discount and how to book it. Riding the Tokaido Shinkansen? Take a look at our post on the free Chiikawa tote for Tokaido Shinkansen passengers.
Things to know before you go
- Watch the forecast. The festival and the movie are both cancelled in severe weather. Check the Kawasaki Racecourse official site (Japanese) on the day before you set off.
- Plan your Saturday in two parts. Daytime visitors step out at 16:50 and the evening session opens at 17:15, so allow for the short gap.
- Driving in on Saturday evening? The racecourse car park is off limits after 16:50. Use Market Square Kawasaki East (paid).
- Budget for the workshops. Entry is free, but the star sand, Ryukyu glass and Yonaguni horse workshops cost extra.
- The film is long. It runs 170 minutes, so plan your trip home with that in mind.
- Food prices and payment options aren’t in the announcement, so confirm them on the official site or at the stalls.
Heading back into Tokyo after a day outdoors? A soak is a nice way to end it, and our guide to the Tokyo sento half-price coupon shows how to get into participating bathhouses for less.
Why an Okinawa festival in Kawasaki?
The link goes back about a century. The land the racecourse stands on was once home to a Fuji Gas Spinning factory, and many women from Okinawa worked there. The Kawasaki Okinawa Kenjinkai (川崎沖縄県人会), an association of people with roots in Okinawa, was founded in 1924 and marks its 102nd year in 2026.
The festival was first held in 2019 to promote friendship between Kawasaki and Okinawa. Its home is Kawasaki Racecourse, which is also where Yomiuriland Co., Ltd. (株式会社よみうりランド), the company that runs the racecourse, has its roots. The organising committee is made up of Yomiuriland, Steel Street Co., Ltd. (株式会社スティールストリート) and the Kawasaki Okinawa Kenjinkai. Yomiuriland tells the story of the staff behind the event on its corporate site (Japanese).
FAQ
- Is the Kawasaki Okinawa Orion Festival free?
- Yes. Entry is free on all three days, and so are the stage shows and the Saturday outdoor movie. The craft workshops are paid.
- When is the festival held?
- From Saturday 19 to Monday 21 September 2026. It is open 10:00 to 16:00 each day, with an extra evening session from 17:15 to 20:30 on Saturday.
- What movie is showing on Saturday night?
- Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (2025, 170 minutes). Doors open at 17:15 and the screening is planned to start at 17:45 on the Infield Lawn Plaza.
- Can I stay at the venue from the afternoon into the movie?
- Not straight through. On Saturday, everyone who came in during the day is asked to step out temporarily at 16:50, and the evening session opens at 17:15.
- What is the nearest station?
- Minatocho Station on the Keikyu Daishi Line, a 3-minute walk. Keikyu Kawasaki Station is a 12-minute walk and JR Kawasaki Station is a 15-minute walk.
- Can I drive to the festival?
- On Saturday the racecourse car park can’t be used after 16:50, so evening visitors who drive should use the paid car park at Market Square Kawasaki East. For the other days, check the official site.
- What happens if the weather is bad?
- Both the festival and the outdoor movie are cancelled in severe weather. Check the official event page before you set off.
Sources: Kawasaki Racecourse official event page (Japanese) / Yomiuriland press release on PR TIMES (Japanese)