Ueno Zoku Natsu Matsuri: Free Horror Festival at Ueno Park for Silver Week

Last updated: September 18, 2026

Ueno Park is getting a late-summer festival with a horror twist. Ueno Zoku Natsu Matsuri (上野ゾク夏祭り) runs for five days, from Saturday, September 19 to Wednesday, September 23, 2026, at the Fountain Plaza of Ueno Onshi Park (上野恩賜公園). The name is a nod to zokutto, the Japanese word for that chill running down your spine.

You don’t need a ticket to walk in. The outdoor stage and the open-air horror movies are free to watch, and the grounds are packed with food stalls, horror attractions and a bon dance you can join in costume. The one clearly paid highlight is a set of indoor storytelling sessions at 4,000 yen (tax included) each.

The whole thing is produced by Takkuu TV Radio (たっくーTVれいでぃお), a popular video creator known for urban legends, ghost stories and strange real-life incidents. It’s the first event the channel has produced entirely on its own.

Dates, hours and venue at a glance

What’s free and what costs money

Entry to the Fountain Plaza grounds is free every day. On top of that, you can watch the outdoor stage (talks on ghost stories and urban legends, changing daily) and the open-air horror movie screenings without paying anything.

What you do pay for:

• The Zoku Natsu Indoor Stage (ゾク夏屋内ステージ): 4,000 yen (tax included) per session. Details are in the indoor stage section.
• Other paid content: the organizers say some content is paid but don’t break down which items. Check at the venue or on the official site.
• Food, drinks and limited-edition goods, sold at stalls, booths and food trucks. Only a few prices are listed on the official site (see the food section below).

So you can easily spend a free afternoon here: catch a talk or a film, walk the stalls, and only spend on what you eat.

Free outdoor stage and open-air horror movies

The outdoor stage runs a different program each day, mostly talk sessions built around ghost stories (kaidan) and urban legends, plus horror DJ sets. Guests come from all sorts of fields: storytellers, occult researchers, filmmakers, gamers, comedians, short-drama creators and DJs.

Three of the days also include free open-air horror movies. Most screenings are in the afternoon; only 無顔 on September 22 starts in the evening.

Titles are shown as listed by the organizers. Some screenings are followed by a post-film talk. Times are as listed on the official site and may change.

One thing to know: the free stage has no advance booking and no reserved seats, and entry to the area may be restricted when it gets crowded. If there’s a guest you really want to see, aim to arrive with time to spare.

Who’s appearing, day by day

Takkuu appears on four of the five days. The rest of the lineup rotates daily. Names are given below as the organizers list them in Japanese, which is also how you’ll find them on YouTube and social media.

The lineup may change without notice. The day lists include both outdoor and indoor stage appearances.

Indoor stage: sessions and tickets

For fans who want something longer and darker than the open-air talks, the Zoku Natsu Indoor Stage offers solo storytelling shows and joint sessions on the two final holidays. The official site lists the venue as Rinnoden hall at Rinnoji Temple in Ueno (上野輪王寺 輪王殿), separate from the Fountain Plaza.

• Price: 4,000 yen (tax included) per session
• General sales: opened at 18:00 on Monday, September 7, 2026 (the official presale lottery has already closed)
• No door sales: e-tickets only, and no tickets are sold at the venue
• Availability: not stated in the announcements. Check the official site for remaining tickets and ticketing rules.

Session times and content may change. All sessions are in Japanese.

Costumes, cosplay and the Horror BON Dance

Dressing up is part of the fun. Yokai and horror costumes are obviously welcome, but so is any outfit or full makeup you like.

• Horror BON Dance (ホラーBON踊り): on the yagura tower stage in the free Fountain Plaza area, you dance with yokai characters to a DJ’s soundtrack. A special area for costumed dancers is planned.
• Changing room with cloakroom: you can change into your costume on site and leave your bag, so you don’t have to travel to the venue in costume.
• Registration: if you want to use the changing room, join the Horror BON Dance special area, or come in a full-scale costume, you need to register through the official site.

Hands-on horror attractions

Besides watching, there are things to try yourself. Whether each attraction is free or paid isn’t specified, so check the signs at each booth.

Horror food and drinks

The stalls and food trucks lean into the theme. The official site lists only a few prices: the Blue Ogre (青鬼) collab candy apple and shaved ice are 800 yen each, and buying both gets you into a photo session with the Blue Ogre. Official goods include a T-shirt for 4,000 yen, a paper fan for 600 yen and badges for 500 yen. All prices include tax. For everything else, check at the stall.

Limited-edition goods are also sold on site.

Getting there and tips for the day

• Weather: it goes ahead in rain but is cancelled if the weather turns stormy. Check the official X account or Instagram on the day.
• Crowds: three of the five days are public holidays, and the free stage has no reservations. For a popular guest, show up early.
• Language: talks and storytelling are in Japanese. The movies, attractions, food and bon dance are easy to enjoy even if your Japanese is limited.
• Coming from outside Tokyo: if you’re riding the Shinkansen in, see our guide to JR East’s Tokudane Special 28 fares at up to 50% off. For slower trips, the Aki no Norihodai Pass for 3 days of JR local trains may also fit Silver Week plans.
• After the festival: if you want to end the night in a hot bath, our guide to the Tokyo sento half-price coupon explains how it works and which bathhouses take it.

Who’s behind the event

The festival is organized by UUUM Inc. together with the Ueno Chuo-dori Shotenkai, the local shopping street association. UUUM is a creative agency and one of Japan’s largest multi-channel networks, supporting more than 15,000 YouTube channels. Takkuu TV Radio supervises and produces the event, and planning is by Ichigeki Club (一撃クラブ) and ACTASIA.

FAQ

Q. Is Ueno Zoku Natsu Matsuri free?

Yes. Entry to the Fountain Plaza grounds is free, and the outdoor stage and open-air movie screenings can be watched free of charge. Some content is paid, including the Zoku Natsu Indoor Stage at 4,000 yen (tax included) per session.

Q. What are the opening hours?

11:00 to 21:00 every day from Saturday, September 19 to Wednesday, September 23, 2026.

Q. Does it go ahead if it rains?

Yes. The festival runs in the rain but is cancelled in stormy weather. Check the official site or the official X account on the day.

Q. Do I need to book a seat for the free stage?

No. The free stage has no advance booking or reserved seating. When it gets crowded, entry to the area may be restricted.

Q. Can I come in costume?

Yes. Costumes and cosplay are welcome, and there is a changing room with a cloakroom on site. To use the changing room, join the Horror BON Dance special area or take part in full costume, you need to register through the official site.

Q. Where is the indoor stage and are tickets still available?

The official site lists the venue as Rinnoden hall at Rinnoji Temple in Ueno. General sales opened at 18:00 on September 7, 2026 and run until each session starts. Tickets are e-tickets only and none are sold at the venue, so check availability on the official site and buy ahead.

Q. What is the nearest station?

Keisei Ueno Station is about a 1-minute walk, JR Ueno Station about 2 minutes, and Tokyo Metro Ueno Station about 4 minutes.