On Saturday, October 17 and Sunday, October 18, 2026, the area in front of Tama Center Station in Tama City, western Tokyo, turns into a weekend-long culture festival. TAMATAMA FESTIVAL 2026 does not gather everything into one venue. Instead, outdoor stages, a curry festival, flea-market style shops, theater, art and kids activities are spread along Parthenon Odori (パルテノン大通り), inside Parthenon Tama (パルテノン多摩) and across Tama Central Park (多摩中央公園).
This year is also the first time it teams up with the Keio eSports Festival 2026 (京王eスポーツ祭り2026), held on Sunday only at LINK FOREST nearby. Entry to both is free. Only a few hall programs need a ticket.
Dates, venues and admission at a glance
The two events have different hours and different venues, so it helps to see them side by side.
| TAMATAMA FESTIVAL 2026 | Keio eSports Festival 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Dates | Sat, Oct 17 and Sun, Oct 18, 2026 | Sun, Oct 18, 2026 only |
| Hours | 10:30–19:00 (the live shows in front of the station end at 17:00) | 10:00–17:00 |
| Venue | In front of Tama Center Station: Parthenon Odori, Parthenon Tama and Tama Central Park | LINK FOREST, a 10-minute walk from the central gate of Keio Tama Center Station |
| Admission | Free (some programs are ticketed) | Free |
| Organizer | TAMATAMA FESTIVAL 2026 Executive Committee (NiEW Inc. and Keio Corporation); supported by Tama City and others | Keio Corporation; operated by Nippon Television Network |
| Official site | tamatamafes.com | keio-esports.com |
The festival is run by NiEW, headed by Mansaku Kashii, who grew up in Tama New Town, together with Keio Corporation. Tama New Town opened in 1971, and in recent years the area has seen a renewed Tama Central Park and central library, a renovated Parthenon Tama and Parthenon Odori, and large housing estate refurbishments in Suwa and Nagayama. According to Tama City, the vacancy rate in the New Town district fell from 6.0% (2016) to 4.7% (2024), and more families in their 20s and 30s are moving in. The festival is meant as a showcase for that change.
Area 1: free outdoor concerts, curry and street shops
Area 1, called NiEW TOWN PARTY, covers Parthenon Odori and the space below the big staircase of Parthenon Tama. This is where you can enjoy the most without spending on tickets.
exPoP!!!!!@TAMATAMA2026 supported by Keio
exPoP!!!!! is a music event that has been running for more than 19 years. Its special edition sets up an outdoor stage below the Parthenon Tama staircase, and the live shows are free to watch on both days.
| Day | Performers |
|---|---|
| Sat, Oct 17 | Toko Miura (Acoustic trio) 梅井美咲 カラコルムの山々 goethe スーパー登山部 東郷清丸巛彡 |
| Sun, Oct 18 | Hedigan’s Shugo Tokumaru 眞名子新 ゆうらん船 永井琳子 (BandSet) 錯乱前戦 多摩大学附属聖ヶ丘中学高等学校 light music club and P3ta1Sparkz (local collaboration) |
Food and shopping
- Tokyo Curry Culture in TAMA: a curry festival where well-known curry restaurants gather in Tama Center, so you can try several styles in one visit.
- NiEW STREET: shops selling baked goods, vintage clothing, records, pottery and more, including stalls with ties to Tama and some special guest shops.
Open mic and street performances
- TAMA Fes Open Mic: anyone can step up and share something, from poems, tanka and haiku to a speech, a letter to family or a partner, or thoughts about Tama New Town. Walk-ins and beginners are welcome, first-time speakers go first, and a live band can accompany you.
- Street performances curated by Strange Seed Shizuoka: theater and dance pieces staged around the streets, made for that spot and that moment.
- Special performance by Ebichiru (えびちる): a singer, rapper, beatmaker and MPC player born and based in Okinawa.
Area 2: Parthenon Tama halls and indoor programs
Area 2, TAMATAMA PALACE, is inside Parthenon Tama. The headline concerts and theater here are the parts of the festival that need a ticket.
Ticketed programs
| Program | Day | Where | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| TAMATAMA Music Festival supported by KENDRIX | Oct 17 and 18 | Large Hall | First edition, and the festival’s first concert in the Large Hall. YOGEE NEW WAVES, Homecomings, Yasuyuki Horigome, MONO NO AWARE and more |
| New Theater Party (ニューシアターパーティー) | Oct 17 only | Small Hall | Six theater companies each present a 30-minute piece across two parts, plus a theater market in the lobby |
| Artistspoken presents (public recording) | Oct 18 only | Small Hall | Live recording of a popular Artistspoken show with Aika Hirota, Rika Mayama, Saori Izawa and others |
The New Theater Party is produced by NiEW and brings together the companies 画餅, 奥山樹生とかるがも団地, すごい生命力, MEMELT, かまどキッチン and 劇団スポーツ. The piece to watch is the musical play わたしの団地さん ～諏訪・永山ものがたり～ by actor 奥山樹生, who grew up in Tama New Town, and the company かるがも団地. It tells stories and memories of the housing estates in Suwa and Nagayama.
Other programs inside Parthenon Tama
- Culture Talk Room (Meeting Room 1): a free talk session where people chat about music, film, traditional arts and more.
- MUSEUM for NEWTOWN (Meeting Rooms 3 and 4): Tama City has no art museum of its own, so this two-day pop-up showcases creators and artists connected to Tama New Town.
- Intro to Japanese Dance Class (Meeting Room 5): a traditional dance experience for children aged 3 to 12. Kids can join in their everyday clothes.
- tomoto kids area (Creative Lab and Kitchen Lab): run by tomoto from the Ochiai danchi shopping street, with Corinth bagatelle games, can fishing, leather goods and plant-dye workshops.
- Kodomo Hiroba OLIVE: family-friendly performances are planned in this space inside Parthenon Tama.
Area 3: autumn festival in Tama Central Park
Area 3, TAMATAMA PARK, uses the large lawn around the pond in Tama Central Park. It has a more traditional, neighborhood festival feel.
- Central Park Autumn Festival supported by Keio: local people of all ages take the stage for a singing contest, Bon dance, acoustic sets, taiko drumming and kids dance.
- Area 51 outdoor music play (Oct 17 only): Sway (a Japanese-titled piece), a music theater work on the lawn that you can watch picnic-style. Cancelled if it rains.
- Ashita no Ah workshop: a hands-on session with the theater company 明日のアー where you play with theater and write your own waka poem.
- Tamakko Terrace: on the terrace in front of the pond, with food trucks, festival stalls and bouncy play equipment for children.
Area 4: Keio eSports Festival 2026 on Sunday
On Sunday, October 18 only, Keio Corporation holds its third Keio eSports Festival at LINK FOREST, about 10 minutes on foot from the central gate of Keio Tama Center Station. Entry is free and it runs from 10:00 to 17:00, so it closes earlier than the main festival.
| What | Details |
|---|---|
| Stage | MC: railway-fan comedian 山口慧 Guests: Masahiro Yoshikawa (Darling Honey), Shosuke Okayasu (Naname 45°), Yusuke Minamida and others |
| Play and battle | Tekken 8 Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves Puyo Puyo eSports Pokémon UNITE |
| Early hands-on | Sanrio Party Land Sanrio Kawaii Me Live! |
| Also | Challenge pro mahjong players in Mahjong Soul (雀魂) Keio Train Simulator |
Many of the activities are easy for beginners and families, so you do not need to be a gamer to stop by. Full details are on the Keio eSports Festival 2026 official page.
Saturday or Sunday? Planning tips
- Want everything in one trip? Go on Sunday. It is the only day you can combine the festival with the eSports venue and do the whole stamp rally.
- Into theater? Saturday has the New Theater Party in the Small Hall and the Area 51 play in the park. Check the forecast, since the outdoor play is cancelled in rain.
- Timing the free concerts: the live shows in front of the station end at 17:00, while the rest of the festival continues until 19:00. Plan to catch the outdoor stage during the day.
- Keep your phone charged: a digital stamp rally plus a full day of photos drains a battery fast. If you have a docomo d account, our guide to free ChargeSPOT power bank rentals with d VALUE PASS explains how to rent one at no cost.
- Hall tickets: decide early if you want the TAMATAMA Music Festival, and buy through the official ticket page.
Looking for more free or low-cost outings this autumn? The Musashino Art University Festival is another student-and-art filled weekend later in October, and our guides to the Shibaura Canal Festival and the Setagaya Tamagawa Fireworks show how we cover local events across Japan.
FAQ
- Q. Is TAMATAMA FESTIVAL 2026 free to enter?
- Yes. Entry to the festival is free. Only some programs charge admission, such as the TAMATAMA Music Festival in the Parthenon Tama Large Hall and the two Small Hall programs. Check the official ticket page for prices.
- Q. When does the Keio eSports Festival 2026 take place?
- It runs on Sunday, October 18, 2026, from 10:00 to 17:00 at LINK FOREST, a 10-minute walk from the central gate of Keio Tama Center Station. Admission is free.
- Q. Which day should I go?
- Go on Sunday, October 18 if you want both events, because the eSports festival is held only that day. Saturday, October 17 is the only day for the New Theater Party and the outdoor music play by Area 51.
- Q. What time do the outdoor concerts end?
- The festival runs from 10:30 to 19:00 on both days, but the live shows in front of the station end at 17:00.
- Q. Are there activities for children?
- Yes. There is a Japanese dance class for ages 3 to 12, the tomoto kids area with games and craft workshops, and Tamakko Terrace in Tama Central Park with food trucks, festival stalls and bouncy play equipment.
Source: Tama City press release (PR TIMES). Programs and times may change, so please check the TAMATAMA FESTIVAL official site before you go.