Ikebukuro Halloween Cosplay Festival

The Ikebukuro Halloween Cosplay Festival is Japan’s largest annual event dedicated to the art of cosplay.
This massive festival takes over the entire East Ikebukuro area for a whole weekend in late October.

The event attracts tens of thousands of participants, including cosplayers, photographers, and fans.

For the duration of the festival, large areas of the district, including parks and some streets, become designated cosplay and photography zones.

Cosplayers dressed as characters from anime, manga, and video games fill the streets, creating a spectacular sight.

The festival features many different activities, including cosplay parades, stage performances, and social gatherings for different fandoms.

There is also a special corner where beginners can experience putting on a cosplay costume for themselves.
New for 2025 is the “Ikeharo Night,” an evening event held on the Friday before the main festival for attendees aged 18 and over.

It is a huge celebration of pop culture and the creativity of the cosplay community.
Event Details
- Dates
- The festival is held over a three-day period in late October.
- Ikeharo Night
- Friday, October 24th, 2025
- Main Festival
- Saturday, October 25th – Sunday, October 26th, 2025
- Time
- Ikeharo Night (Friday)
- 4:30pm – 10:30pm
- Main Festival (Saturday & Sunday)
- 10:00am – 6:00pm
- Ikeharo Night (Friday)
- Location
- Various locations around the East Ikebukuro area, with the main hub at Sunshine City, Toshima-ku, Tokyo.
- Admission
- A participation ticket is generally required for cosplayers and photographers.
- Viewing the cosplayers in the public areas is typically free.
- Please Note
- The event is extremely crowded.
- Please be respectful of cosplayers and follow the designated rules for photography.
Directions & Travel Information
- By Train
- The festival takes place directly around Ikebukuro Station, one of Tokyo’s largest and busiest transportation hubs.
- Ikebukuro Station
- The station is served by the JR Yamanote Line, Saikyō Line, and Shōnan-Shinjuku Line.
- It is also served by the Tokyo Metro Marunouchi, Yūrakuchō, and Fukutoshin lines.
- The Tobu Tōjō Line and the Seibu Ikebukuro Line also terminate here.
- The main festival area around Sunshine City is a short walk from the station’s East Exit.
Event Summary
| calendar_month DATE | Oct 24 2025 - Oct 26 2025 |
|---|---|
| schedule TIME | ALL DAY |
| payments Cost | FREE |
| info Website | Official Website |
| location_on Location | Ikebukuro |
|---|---|
| map Area | Tokyo Ikebukuro |
| category CATEGORY | Anime/Manga |
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