Artpara Fukagawa: a whole neighborhood turns into a gallery
For nine days this October, artworks by artists with disabilities will hang in shop fronts, on bridge railings and along temple and shrine approaches across the Fukagawa area of Koto City. The festival is called Artpara Fukagawa Oshaberi na Geijutsusai 2026 (アートパラ深川おしゃべりな芸術祭2026) — roughly, the Chatty Art Festival — because the organizers want visitors to stop, look and talk about what they see.
Wandering the streets to find the artworks costs nothing, and the stamp rally and guided walking tour are free too. The tour also offers English support, so it is an easy weekend outing even if your Japanese is limited.
| Dates | Saturday, October 17 to Sunday, October 25, 2026 (9 days) |
|---|---|
| Area | Monzen-Nakacho, Kiyosumi-Shirakawa and Morishita, Koto City, Tokyo |
| Hours | Original artwork venues, stamp rally and Heart Project: 10:00–16:00 |
| Artworks | About 580 in total: 199 originals at three venues, about 380 reproductions around town |
| Free programs | Art Tanken Rally (stamp rally), official walking tour (English support available) |
| Organizer | Artpara Fukagawa Oshaberi na Geijutsusai Executive Committee and Artpara Fukagawa (general incorporated association) |
| Official site | artpara-fukagawa.tokyo |
- What Artpara Fukagawa is
- Where to see the original artworks
- Street art across the three neighborhoods
- Art Tanken Rally: a free LINE stamp rally
- Free walking tour with English support
- The 10,000 Heart Project and art ema
- The award ceremony (invitation only)
- Tips for your visit
- How big the festival has become
- FAQ
- Contact and official information
What Artpara Fukagawa is
Artpara Fukagawa is a citizen-run art festival that first took place in 2020. Local residents, companies and volunteers run it together, and the goal is a society where people accept and support one another. Organizers say a cumulative total of about 650,000 people have taken part so far.
This year also marks the national open call held every two years, the Artpara Fukagawa Grand Prize 2026 (アートパラ深川大賞2026). It drew 755 entries; 199 were selected, and 43 of those received awards. The Grand Prize went to Minoru Onuki of Nagano Prefecture for his work Tenagazaru (gibbon). His piece is planned to become the main visual of the next, eighth festival.
The festival is chaired by Osamu Fukushima, professor emeritus at Tokyo Polytechnic University. The representative director of the association is Hiromi Hojo, and the top partner is Mitsui Fudosan.
Where to see the original artworks
All 199 selected originals, including the 43 award winners, are split across three halls. Opening hours are 10:00–16:00 every day of the festival. The Grand Prize work Tenagazaru is shown at Lotus Hall in Fukagawa Fudo-do.
| Venue | Address | Works |
|---|---|---|
| Fukagawa Fudo-do, Lotus Hall, B1 (深川不動堂 ロータスホール) | 1-17-13 Tomioka, Koto City | 80 |
| Fukagawa Edo Museum, Rec Hall, basement (深川江戸資料館 レクホール) | 1-3-28 Kiyosumi, Koto City | 80 |
| Kiyosumi Garden, Taisho Memorial Hall (清澄庭園 大正記念館) | 3-3-9 Kiyosumi, Koto City | 40 |
The organizers say details of which works hang at which venue will be posted on the official website soon. If there is a specific artist you want to see, check there first.
Street art across the three neighborhoods
Beyond the three halls, about 380 high-quality reproductions of award-winning and selected works from the past four open calls are placed around town. You will find them in shop fronts, on bridge railings, in cafés and along the approaches to shrines and temples.
- Monzen-Nakacho: historic sites such as Tomioka Hachimangu (富岡八幡宮) and Fukagawa Fudo-do.
- Kiyosumi-Shirakawa: cafés, galleries and a traditional Japanese garden.
- Morishita: an area linked to the poet Matsuo Basho, with shopping streets, cafés and shrines.
The idea is to discover the works as you stroll, so there is no fixed route. The rally in the next section gives the walk a simple goal.
Art Tanken Rally: a free LINE stamp rally
New this year, the Art Tanken Rally (アートパラたんけんラリー) turns the walk into a treasure hunt. Each target artwork has a 2D code (QR-style code) next to it, and you scan it with LINE to collect a stamp. It runs from 10:00 to 16:00 and costs nothing to join.
- Scan the rally entry code to join.
- Look for the target artworks, both at the original artwork venues and among the reproductions around town.
- Scan the code placed with each artwork in LINE to get one stamp.
- Collect 3 stamps and trade them for a prize.
Prize: an original Artpara Fukagawa pin badge or an original clear file.
Bonus round: take a photo of a scanned artwork together with the Fukagawa streetscape, post it on social media with a hashtag such as #アートパラ深川, and you get one more prize.
| Prize exchange points (10:00–16:00) |
|---|
| Fukagawa Fudo, Lotus Hall |
| Kiyosumi Garden, Taisho Memorial Hall |
| Fukagawa Edo Museum, Rec Hall |
| Morishita Culture Center (森下文化センター) |
| Official information desks, and others |
Full rules are on the official rally page.
Free walking tour with English support
Because the works are spread over a wide area, it is easy to miss some. The official walking tour solves that and doubles as a tour of old downtown Tokyo. A local guide takes you around shrines, temples and popular cafés while you look at the art.
- When: every day of the festival, departing as needed throughout the day
- Starting points: the two official information desks, one in the Fukagawa Fudo-do grounds and one at the Taisho Memorial Hall inside Kiyosumi Garden. Both are close to stations.
- Length: about 1 hour
- Fee: free
- Language: English support available
The 10,000 Heart Project and art ema
At Morishita Culture Center (3-12-17 Morishita, Koto City), the 10,000 Heart Project fills the 1F lobby from 10:00 to 16:00. Hearts made in special education classes and after-school care programs are combined with hearts made at workshops during the Toyosu leg of the festival (September 5 to 13), which drew more than 1,000 participants at Toyosu Civic Center. Together they number 10,000.
At Tomioka Hachimangu you can also see the art ema, the wooden votive plaques that have become a symbol of the festival. Children with disabilities in Koto City and people who attend local welfare facilities painted them freely, each with their own wish.
The award ceremony (invitation only)
The Artpara Fukagawa Grand Prize 2026 award ceremony takes place on Saturday, October 17 from 15:00 (reception from 14:00) at Morishita Culture Center. It is strictly invitation-only, so general visitors cannot attend. The Heart Project exhibition in the same building follows its usual hours.
Tips for your visit
- Start early. The halls, rally and prize exchange all close at 16:00. Arriving in the morning leaves time for all three neighborhoods.
- Pick a base. Fukagawa Fudo-do and Kiyosumi Garden each have an information desk, a prize exchange point and an original artwork venue, so either makes a good starting point.
- Charge your phone. The rally runs on LINE, and you will be scanning codes and taking photos all day. If your battery tends to run low, see our guide to free, unlimited ChargeSPOT power bank rentals with d VALUE PASS.
- Want more art this autumn? Our guide to the Musashino Art University Festival covers dates and access, and the Ghibli Park Exhibition guide lists the touring venues.
- Planning more outings? The Asoview Asobitsukushi Campaign offers discounts on leisure tickets.
How big the festival has become
| Year | Days | Visitors (cumulative) |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 9 | About 75,000 |
| 2021 | 10 | About 93,000 |
| 2022 | Toyosu 4 / Fukagawa 9 | Toyosu about 38,000 / Fukagawa about 98,000 |
| 2023 | 9 | About 130,000 |
| 2024 | 9 | About 130,000 |
| 2025 | 9 | About 120,000 |
Weekends are likely to be the busiest days. If you prefer a quieter visit, a weekday may suit you better.
FAQ
- Q. When and where is Artpara Fukagawa 2026?
- From October 17 to 25, 2026 (nine days) in the Monzen-Nakacho, Kiyosumi-Shirakawa and Morishita areas of Koto City, Tokyo.
- Q. Is the stamp rally free?
- Yes. The Art Tanken Rally has no participation fee. Collect three stamps via LINE to get an original pin badge or clear file.
- Q. Is there a tour in English?
- Yes. The official walking tour departs daily from the two official information desks, takes about one hour, is free, and offers English support.
- Q. Can I attend the award ceremony?
- No. The ceremony on October 17 at Morishita Culture Center is invitation only.
- Q. Is there an admission fee for the original artwork venues?
- The press release does not mention entry fees for the venues. Please check the official website before you go.
- Q. What time are the venues open?
- The original artwork exhibitions, the stamp rally and the Heart Project run from 10:00 to 16:00.
Contact and official information
The latest updates, including the list of works at each venue, are posted on the official Artpara Fukagawa website. For questions, contact the Artpara Fukagawa Secretariat (アートパラ深川事務局):
- Email: [email protected] (the organizers ask that you use email where possible)
- Phone: 03-4400-9298 (weekdays 10:00–16:00; calls may go to voicemail, so leave a message)
Source: Artpara Fukagawa press release (PR TIMES, October 9, 2026). Details may change, so check the official site before you go.