Japan Week

Japan Week 2025 opens in spectacular style at First Street Square, where the streets of Manchester will come alive with Japanese street performers, traditional dance, samurai displays, theatrical entertainment and pop music. This free event marks the official launch of a week-long celebration across the city, showcasing the richness, diversity and vibrancy of Japanese culture.

The festival continues at three of Manchester’s leading cultural venues. At HOME, audiences can experience an eclectic mix of live performances and Japanese cinema, from traditional music and dance to contemporary opera and animation. Manchester Central Library invites visitors to explore Japanese art, craft and travel through exhibitions, workshops and demonstrations. Over at Manchester Museum, the serene beauty of the Japanese tea ceremony is brought to life through live demonstrations, matcha tasting and the chance to wear traditional kimono. There will also be stalls and workshops over at Aviva Studios.

Japan Week is not just a cultural celebration—it also honours a long-standing relationship between Greater Manchester and Japan that stretches back over 150 years. In 1865, students from Japan’s Satsuma region travelled to the region during the Industrial Revolution, returning home with machinery from Oldham’s Platt Brothers and laying the foundations for generations of trade and collaboration. That spirit of exchange has endured well into the 21st century and continues to grow, supported by political, economic and cultural ties between the UK and Japan.

This year’s Japan Week is a vibrant reflection of that shared history and a celebration of the friendship, creativity and innovation that continue to bind Greater Manchester and Japan today.