5 Things to Look Forward to in Japan in 2026

1. PokéPark KANTO - February 5, 2026

Opening February 5, 2026, PokéPark KANTO at Yomiuriland in Tokyo is the first-ever permanent outdoor Pokémon facility. Spanning 2.6 hectares, it features over 600 Pokémon! Start at the PokéPark Entrance Plaza, where some of your favorite Pokémon await, and don’t miss the Pokémon Daisuki Shop for incredible souvenirs. From there, Pokémon Trainers can embark on an unforgettable adventure through Pokémon Forest, exploring winding tunnels, hilly paths, and wild terrain while spotting wild Pokémon. Continue to Sedge Town to visit the Pokémon Center, Poké Mart, and Gym while enjoying parades and connecting with Pokémon and fellow Trainers alike!

Check the official website for ticket details.

Official website (Japanese): https://www.pokepark-kanto.co.jp/ppark/top/index 

Official website (English): https://www.pokepark-kanto.co.jp/ppark/top/index

2. TOKYO DREAM PARK - March 27, 2026

Opening on March 27, 2026, TOKYO DREAM PARK in Ariake, Tokyo is a next-generation entertainment complex where technology and creativity come together. Spanning ten floors, the facility features SGC HALL ARIAKE, a 3,700-seat state-of-the-art multipurpose venue for large-scale live performances, as well as EX THEATER ARIAKE, ideal for plays and musicals.

Visitors can also enjoy rotating events at EX STUDIO7, along with seasonal programming, a rooftop plaza, and an on-site restaurant. Backed by TV Asahi’s entertainment expertise and wide range of popular Japanese shows and content, TOKYO DREAM PARK is set to become a major new hub for live events and immersive entertainment in Tokyo.

Official website (Japanese and English): https://tdp.tv-asahi.co.jp/ 

3. MoN Takanawa: The Museum of Narratives, March 28, 2026

Opening on March 28, 2026, MoN Takanawa: The Museum of Narratives will debut at Takanawa Gateway City as an experimental museum exploring culture in all its forms - from traditional performing arts and food to manga, music, and cutting-edge technology. MoN Takanawa boasts an exterior design by Kengo Kuma & Associates, extending across three basement levels, six above-ground floors, and a rooftop. Its inaugural theme, “Life as Culture,” reimagines culture as something created through everyday actions like eating, working, and resting - with themes refreshed twice a year.

Other highlights include the expansive Box1500 exhibition hall, a 100-tatami-mat relaxation space, the MoN Library with its huge bookshelf filled with books and curated objects, and open-air terraces such as the Ashiyu Terrace with a footbath and the Train Terrace overlooking train tracks.

Official website (Japanese and English): https://montakanawa.jp/ 

 

4. Edo-Tokyo Museum - March 31, 2026

The Edo-Tokyo Museum will reopen on March 31, 2026, after nearly four years of major renovations. Now travelers interested in discovering the history and culture of the Edo Period can once again visit the museum with the renewal introducing new full-scale replicas of buildings, immersive Edo-period video projections along with digital displays. 

Official website (Japanese): https://www.edo-tokyo-museum.or.jp/ 

Official website (English):  https://www.edo-tokyo-museum.or.jp/en/ 

5. Nara Prison Museum: April 27, 2026

Completed in 1908, the Former Nara Prison is a rare surviving example of Japan’s early Western-style architecture and the only fully intact remnant of the Meiji (1868-1912) government’s five largest prisons. With a radial layout, its red-brick cellblocks extend from a central surveillance tower, crowned with traditional Japanese tile roofs - a striking fusion that earned it designation as a National Important Cultural Property. Reopening as the Nara Prison Museum on April 27, 2026, the site invites reflection on freedom, history, and modern society, while housing exhibition spaces, a cafe inspired by Meiji-era cuisine, and a shop featuring crafts created as part of prison work initiatives.

Best of all, extending this legacy into an overnight experience, hotel brand HOSHINOYA transforms part of the historic complex into HOSHINOYA Nara Prison, Japan’s first luxury prison hotel, offering an immersive stay within Meiji-era architecture as part of a preservation initiative. If you're interested in staying in a unique slice of Japanese history, be sure to book a night once it opens!

Official website (Japanese): https://hoshinoresorts.com/nara-prison-museum/ja/ 

Official website (English): https://hoshinoresorts.com/nara-prison-museum/en/   

Pack Your 2026 Japan Itinerary With Exciting New Openings

2026 is shaping up to be another exciting year to visit Japan. With the opening of PokéPark Kanto, the reopening of the Edo-Tokyo Museum, new entertainment hubs like Tokyo Dream Park, and cultural landmarks such as MoN Takanawa and the Nara Prison Museum, travelers to Japan will find no shortage of unforgettable experiences to add to their itineraries.

On the other hand, there are also beloved attractions in Tokyo set to close in 2026, so definitely take a look at attractions scheduled to close in 2026.

 

Top image: PR TIMES ©2025 Pokémon. ©1995-2025 Nintendo/Creatures Inc./GAME FREAK inc.