Koenji turns into a small slice of Taiwan for one weekend this autumn. Marugoto Taiwan Fair 2026 (まるごと台湾フェア) takes place on Saturday, October 24 and Sunday, October 25, on the same days as the neighbourhood’s big Koenji Fes. The headline this year is a well-known Taiwanese opera troupe performing in Japan for the very first time, and there is plenty to eat and buy on top of that.
Below are the show times, the workshops you can book, the free food talk, and which stalls appear on which day. The details all come from the organisers’ announcement; anything not yet published is flagged so you can check the official page before you go.
- Dates: Sat, Oct 24 and Sun, Oct 25, 2026 (times vary by programme)
- Venues: Za-Koenji Public Theatre (座・高円寺) and Koenji Junjo Shopping Street (高円寺純情商店街), Suginami, Tokyo
- Highlight: First-ever Japan performances by Tang Mei-Yun Taiwanese Opera Company
- Free: Street mini shows on Saturday and a food culture talk on Sunday (talk needs booking)
- Paid: The Nezha stage show and the two opera workshops
- General admission: Not stated in the announcement, so check the official event page
What the fair is and who runs it
Marugoto Taiwan Fair has been held in Suginami since 2013. Over the years it has covered Taiwanese food and local products, travel information, tea workshops, traditional culture exhibitions, music and dance. Suginami and Taiwan also have ties through junior high school baseball exchanges and Taiwan performances of the Tokyo Koenji Awa Odori, and the fair is part of that relationship.
This year it links up with the Junjo Taiwan Market, a Taipei Dihua Street tie-in held on Koenji Junjo Shopping Street as part of Koenji Fes. So the Taiwan theme spreads across the neighbourhood rather than sitting in one building.
| Role | Organisation |
|---|---|
| Organiser | Suginami International Exchange Association (一般財団法人 杉並区交流協会) |
| Co-organiser | Suginami City |
| Supported by | Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan, Taiwan Cultural Center, Taiwan Tourism Administration and Taiwan Visitors Association |
| Cooperation | Za-Koenji (managed by syuz’ gen LLC), Chuo Line Aru Aru PROJECT |
| Performance grant | Ministry of Culture, Taiwan |
| Planning (opera and Beinou Juraku) | JKL331 Inc. |
Taiwanese opera: street shows, Nezha and workshops
Taiwanese opera, known as gezaixi (歌仔戲) and pronounced koa-a-hi in Taiwanese, mixes singing, dance and acting. It grew out of ordinary life in Taiwan and was traditionally performed in temple grounds and on street corners.
Tang Mei-Yun Taiwanese Opera Company (唐美雲歌仔戲団) is one of the leading troupes in the genre and has won many awards. It is known for collaborations with other art forms and for training new performers. According to its director, Tang Mei-Yun, this is the company’s first performance in Japan since it was founded. She mentioned three works in her comment: Nezha (哪吒伝), Xue Dingshan and Fan Lihua (薛丁山と樊梨花), and banxian (扮仙), a short celebratory piece traditionally staged before the main play at temple festivals and birthday celebrations.
You can see the troupe three ways: on the street for free, on stage with a ticket, or by joining a workshop.
| Date and time | What | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Sat 10/24 12:00–12:20 | Mini street show | Koenji Fes Machinaka venue, Koenji-minami 4-chome |
| Sat 10/24 13:20–13:40 | Mini street show | Koenji Station North Exit plaza |
| Sat 10/24 15:30–17:00 | Opera workshop (paid) | Za-Koenji, Awa Odori Hall |
| Sun 10/25 Doors 12:30 Starts 13:00 | Nezha stage performance (paid) | Za-Koenji Hall 2 |
| Sun 10/25 14:45–16:15 | Opera workshop (paid) | Za-Koenji, Awa Odori Hall |
What happens in the workshop: participants put on a simple costume, pick up props and learn the basic movements of gezaixi, including water sleeves, the long flowing sleeves used for expressive gestures. No experience is mentioned as a requirement.
Free talk on Taiwanese breakfasts and snacks
On Sunday, Taiwanese cuisine researcher Peggy Kyu (ペギー・キュウ) gives a talk themed around a food culture journey through Taiwanese breakfasts and snacks. Japanese and Taiwanese food look similar at first glance but differ in many ways, and the talk uses everyday dishes and eating habits to explain those differences and how people in Taiwan enjoy food.
- When: Sun 10/25, 13:30–14:20
- Where: Za-Koenji, Awa Odori Hall
- Cost: Free
- Booking: First come, first served via the application form
Shopping: Made in Taiwan goods from Kaohsiung
Beinou Juraku (米濃聚落) is a community based in the Meinong area of Kaohsiung. It connects towns across eastern Kaohsiung, such as Qishan, Meinong, Liugui, Shanlin and Jiaxian, and promotes the area’s farming, history and Hakka culture. When it joined the Taipei Dihua Street market in Japan last year, its goods almost sold out over two days.
This year the range is bigger. Alongside Kaohsiung products, it brings brands it has worked with as an area partner, all focused on items made in Taiwan.
| Brands selected by Beinou Juraku |
|---|
| 好果 |
| 日漬 |
| 台湾第一筷 LAYANA |
| Amberra Chocolate |
| 漓咖啡 |
| LEAFLOW 心茶合一 |
Where to find it: Saturday on Koenji Junjo Shopping Street (12:00–19:00), then Sunday in the plaza in front of Za-Koenji (10:00–16:00). Note the change of location between days.
Food stalls and which day they open
Stalls are run by Taiwanese restaurants in Japan and by shops run by Taiwan enthusiasts. Three of them open on both days; the rest appear only on Sunday in front of Za-Koenji.
| Stall | What they sell | Days |
|---|---|---|
| Taiwan Saki Mensen (台湾佐記麺線) | Mian xian: very thin Taiwanese noodles simmered in a thick pork-bone and bonito broth | Sat and Sun |
| Happy Yume Kobo (ハッピー夢工房) | Handmade Taiwanese rice dumplings (zongzi), scallion pancakes, taro buns, oolong tea, mixed noodles | Sat and Sun |
| Lan Che (本格台湾茶のお店 藍鵲) | Brown sugar tapioca latte, grilled scallion pancakes | Sat and Sun |
| PICA MARKET | Low-temperature dried fruit, pineapple and mango cakes, nougat crackers, 100% cold-pressed pineapple juice, drinkable pineapple aiyu jelly | Sun only |
| HOLIJI 好日子 | Baked sweets with fruit and Taiwanese tea, overseen by Peggy Kyu | Sun only |
| Miyage Taiwan (土産台湾) | Items the owner picked up on trips to Taiwan; there is no permanent shop or online store | Sun only |
Stall hours: Saturday on Koenji Junjo Shopping Street, 12:00–19:00. Sunday in the plaza in front of Za-Koenji, 10:00–16:00.
How to plan the weekend
- Saturday is the street day. Catch the 12:00 mini show in Koenji-minami, walk to the North Exit plaza for 13:20, browse the stalls on Junjo Shopping Street, and finish with the 15:30 workshop if you booked it.
- Sunday is the Za-Koenji day. Every stall is in the plaza from 10:00, so go early for the widest choice.
- The Sunday clash. The free talk starts at 13:30, thirty minutes after Nezha begins at 13:00. You’ll have to choose one, since the two overlap.
- Book the free talk early. Seats are allocated first come, first served.
- Expect crowds. Koenji Fes runs the same weekend, so the streets will be busy.
After a day on your feet, a soak in a local bathhouse is a nice way to finish. Our Tokyo sento half-price coupon guide explains how to pay less at participating baths. For more free and low-cost outings, see our guides to the Shibaura Canal Festival and the Setagaya Tamagawa Fireworks.
FAQ
- Q. When and where is Marugoto Taiwan Fair 2026?
- Saturday, October 24 and Sunday, October 25, 2026, at Za-Koenji Public Theatre and Koenji Junjo Shopping Street in Suginami, Tokyo. Times differ by programme.
- Q. Can I watch the Taiwanese opera for free?
- Yes. On Saturday, October 24 the troupe performs short street shows at 12:00 at the Koenji Fes Machinaka venue in Koenji-minami 4-chome and at 13:20 in the Koenji Station North Exit plaza. The Nezha stage show on Sunday is ticketed.
- Q. How much are tickets for Nezha and the workshops?
- Prices were not given in the announcement. Check the official ticket page for current prices and availability.
- Q. Is the food culture talk really free?
- Yes. The talk by Peggy Kyu on Sunday, October 25, 13:30 to 14:20, is free, but you need to apply in advance and places go first come, first served.
- Q. Which food stalls open on Saturday?
- Taiwan Saki Mensen, Happy Yume Kobo and Lan Che open on both days. On Saturday they are on Koenji Junjo Shopping Street from 12:00 to 19:00. The other stalls are only in front of Za-Koenji on Sunday.
Official pages and booking links
- Suginami City event page
- Marugoto Taiwan Fair special page
- Tickets for Nezha and the opera workshops
- Application for the free food culture talk
- JKL331 Inc. (planning partner)
- Press release (PR TIMES, Japanese)
Information as of October 3, 2026, based on the organisers’ announcement. Schedules may change, so check the official pages before you go.