- Dates: Friday 11 September to Wednesday 7 October 2026
- Hours: 11:00–21:00 (last orders 20:45)
- Venue: temporary venue in Okubo Park (大久保公園), 2-43 Kabukicho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
- Prices: curry roux ¥600, rice ¥400, sold separately
- Booking: not required. Runs rain or shine, but may be cancelled in severe weather
What Tokyo Curry Expo is
Tokyo Curry Expo (東京カレー万博) is an outdoor curry festival held in Okubo Park, right next to Kabukicho in Shinjuku. What sets it apart is who is cooking. Alongside dedicated curry shops, you will find ramen restaurants, Italian kitchens and other places that built their skills in very different kitchens, 48 in total, gathered from all over Japan.
That mix means the menu goes well beyond the usual Japanese-style curry rice. You can try a European-style curry at one stall and a South Indian plate at the next, or order a biryani or a dosa instead. No booking is needed, so it works just as well as a quick lunch as it does for an evening with friends.
Dates, hours and venue
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Dates | Fri 11 September – Wed 7 October 2026 |
| Hours | 11:00–21:00 (last orders 20:45) |
| Venue | Temporary venue in Okubo Park, Shinjuku |
| Address | 2-43 Kabukicho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo |
| Reservation | Not required |
| Parking | None |
| Weather | Held rain or shine; may be cancelled in severe weather |
| Entry | Not confirmed in the information we checked. See the official site |
The festival runs every day of the period listed above. Food orders close at 20:45, so if you are coming after work, aim to arrive well before then.
How the ¥600 + ¥400 system works
Instead of set plates, the curry and the rice are sold separately. Curry roux costs ¥600 and rice costs ¥400. Because the two are split, you are not locked into one shop per meal.
- Going solo: buy one roux and one rice for a standard plate.
- Sharing: each person picks a different curry and you split the rice, which makes it easy to compare several shops in one visit.
- Mixing styles: pair two curries on your own plate and build the combination you like best.
Styles of curry to look for
With 48 kitchens from different backgrounds, the range is wide. These are the styles named for this year’s festival:
| Style | What to expect |
|---|---|
| European-style curry | Rich, slow-cooked roux |
| Spice curry | Built around fragrant spice blends |
| South Indian curry | Regional Indian flavours |
| Biryani | Spiced rice dish |
| Dosa | Thin South Indian crepe |
| Ra-kare (ラーカレ) | Ramen-shop soup mixed with spices, eaten over rice |
Ra-kare is the one you are least likely to find elsewhere. It comes from ramen chefs who take their soup, add spices and serve it with rice, so it sits somewhere between a ramen bowl and a curry plate.
The lineup changes: check the schedule
Not all 48 restaurants are there at the same time. Many booths change hands during the run, so the stalls you see on one visit may be different from the next. That is good news if you plan to go more than once, but if there is a particular shop you want to try, check the schedule on the official Tokyo Curry Expo website before you head out.
Getting there
| Station | Walk |
|---|---|
| Seibu-Shinjuku Station (Seibu Shinjuku Line) | About 1 minute |
| Shin-Okubo Station (JR) | About 7 minutes |
| Shinjuku Station | About 8 minutes |
There is no parking at the venue, so the train is the way to go. Seibu-Shinjuku Station is practically on the doorstep, and Shin-Okubo and Shinjuku are both short walks away. If you are travelling into Tokyo from further afield on JR lines, the Aki no Norihodai Pass for unlimited JR local trains may be worth a look.
Tips before you go
- Check the weather. The event goes ahead in rain, but it may be called off in severe weather. Look at the official website on the day if the forecast is bad.
- Mind last orders. The venue is open until 21:00, but food orders stop at 20:45.
- Go with friends. Splitting roux and rice between a few people is the easiest way to taste more shops.
- Confirm entry details. We could not confirm whether there is an admission fee, so check the official website before you go.
- Make a day of it. This weekend there is also a free canal cruise event in Minato: see our Shibaura Canal Festival guide. After a long day, a half-price Tokyo sento coupon is a cheap way to unwind.
- Save on the rest of the week. If you are looking for cheap meals on other days, see our guides to the 7-Eleven onigiri sale and the One Karubi app quiz for a free lunch.
FAQ
- When and where is Tokyo Curry Expo held?
- From Friday 11 September to Wednesday 7 October 2026, 11:00–21:00 (last orders 20:45), at a temporary venue in Okubo Park, 2-43 Kabukicho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo.
- Do I need a reservation?
- No. Reservations are not required, so you can simply turn up during opening hours.
- How much does the curry cost?
- Curry roux is ¥600 and rice is ¥400. They are sold separately, so you can combine them freely. We could not confirm entry details, so check the official website.
- Does it go ahead in the rain?
- Yes, it runs rain or shine, but it may be cancelled in severe weather. Check the official website on the day.
- Is there parking?
- No. There is no parking, so come by train. Seibu-Shinjuku Station is about a 1-minute walk away.
- Are the same shops there every day?
- No. Many shops rotate during the festival, so check the schedule on the official website if you want to visit a particular one.
Forty-eight kitchens, curry and rice at separate prices, and a lineup that keeps changing: Tokyo Curry Expo is easy to drop into more than once before it closes on 7 October. Check the schedule, pick a shop or two, and bring friends to share.