5th Annual Japan Parade on May 9, 2026
Following the great success of the last four years, the 5th annual Japan Parade & Street Fair in New York City will be held on Saturday, May 9, beginning at 1:00PM. Starting on Central Park West at West 81st Street and traveling south to West 67th Street, the purpose of the parade is to celebrate, express, and bring awareness to the friendship between NYC and Japan with a thank you from the Japanese community. Iconic manga artist and illustrator Acky Bright will be this year’s Grand Marshal.
Grand Marshal Acky Bright
Known for his intricate line work and “kawakakkoii” (cute and cool) aesthetic, Acky Bright is an internationally acclaimed Japanese manga artist whose work has appeared in collaborations with McDonald’s, Meta, Marvel, DC Comics, BMW, Lexus, and more. New York is one of Acky Bright’s main activity hubs. His solo exhibition Acky Bright: Studio Infinity held at Japan Society in New York (2024 to 25) as well as his frequent guest appearances at Anime NYC and New York Comic Con, have helped build a strong connection with fans in New York.
This year, Acky also designed Japan Parade’s very first official mascot, inspired by the cultures of both New York and Japan. The design incorporates a variety of themes, including New York City’s colors of orange and navy, the red and white of Japan, the iconic NYC apple, and the traditional Japanese happi coat. There was a contest to choose the mascot’s name, and not surprisingly, the winning name is Happi.
“New York City has become like a second hometown to me,” says Acky Bright. “I am truly honored to design the official mascot and serve as Grand Marshal.”
Event Leadership
This year’s Japan Parade and Street Fair is led by Ambassador Satoshi Katahira, Consul General of Japan in New York and the Honorary Chairman of the Board of Directors, Japan Day Inc., and Satoshi Oishi, Chairman of the Board of Directors and President of Japan Day Inc. Kumiko Yoshii is the Executive Producer of the Japan Parade & Street Fair.
Jujutsu Kaisen The Stage Performance
This year’s Parade will also feature a live performance from Jujutsu Kaisen The Stage – Hidden Inventory/Premature Death, the wildly popular 2.5D stage play direct from Japan, as previously announced. Jujutsu Kaisen The Stage is a stage adaptation of the manga “JUJUTSU KAISEN” by Akutami Gege, depicting a battle between a curse born of negative human emotions and a sorcerer who exorcises it. The original work began serialization in Shueisha’s “Weekly Shonen Jump” magazine in March 2018, ran for 6.5 years, and concluded in September 2024. 150 million copies have been sold (including digital editions) in the 30 volumes published. Jujutsu Kaisen The Stage (also known as “JUJUSte”) recreates the heated battle scenes of the original work through passionate performances by the cast.
Japan Street Fair Details
Concurrently with the Japan Parade, the Japan Street Fair will be held on West 72nd Street, between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue, from 11AM to 5PM (while supplies last).
The Japan Street Fair will feature tents offering fun and educational cultural activities including calligraphy, yukata try-on, and traditional games from Japan. In collaboration with Festive Planet, one of the largest organizers of Asian food festivals in the U.S. and the producer of large-scale fair events at conventions such as Anime NYC, the Street Fair will also feature more than 30 tents serving authentic Japanese cuisine. The latest information on Japan’s many tourist destinations will be available at several other tents, and, as last year, there will also be a tent where visitors can donate to a charitable cause.
This year, charitable donations will benefit the World Monuments Fund Japan Flagship Project and City Harvest. The World Monuments Fund supports the preservation of Japanese cultural heritage, including artisan training and restoration efforts following major earthquakes. City Harvest rescues surplus food and distributes it free of charge to food pantries and soup kitchens across New York City.
The Japan Street Fair is your chance to experience a Japanese festival, or matsuri, unlike any other. At the Street Fair, there will be various giveaways, including free sample distributions, and official mascot merchandise will be on sale. Merchandise is also available for purchase on the official website (T-shirts only). In addition, T-shirts and stickers have been available at Kinokuniya and Japan Village since April 17.
Participating Groups
This year, participating groups include: the music and taiko groups New York Taiko Aikokai, Soh Daiko, COBU, and Taiko Masala Dojo, the choir group The Young People’s Chorus of New York City, the traditional dance troupes Sachiyo Ito and Company and Awa Odori New York Ren, and martial arts groups Japan Karate Association of New York and NYC Area Judo Community.
There are Japanese programs at the local universities and Japanese language schools and organizations participating in the Parade. They include: New York University, Hunter College, The Japanese School of New York (The Greenwich Japanese School), Japanese Children’s Society, Inc., Keio Academy of New York, The New Jersey Japanese School, and Brooklyn Nihongo Gakuen.
At the Parade, Nagasaki Prefecture will have a float featuring traditional dancers and musicians and a tourism tent at the street fair, and Okinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau (OCVB) will also have a tourism tent at the street fair. Both Nagasaki and Okinawa were chosen as two of the “52 Places to Go” in 2026 by the New York Times.
Over the last four years, the parade has had many memorable participants and performances by Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: The Super Live, Live Spectacle “NARUTO,” DEMON SLAYER – KIMETSU NO YAIBA – the stage, and ATTACK on TITAN: The Musical as special guests from Japan.
Emcee and Parade Scale
Sandra Endo, news correspondent for KTTV Los Angeles (Fox 11 News) and a feature reporter for Good Day LA, will again serve as Emcee of the parade, which she has done every year since the first.
In total, 105 groups and floats will march in the Parade, with over 2,800 individual participants.
Parade History
The very first Japan Parade & Street Fair was held in 2022. Actor, author, civil-rights activist, and influencer George Takei was the Grand Marshal for the inaugural parade, while Olympic Gold medalist and author Kristi Yamaguchi was the Grand Marshal for the Japan Parade in 2023, and wheelchair tennis star and four-time Paralympic Gold medalist Shingo Kunieda was Grand Marshal in 2024. Last year, Iron Chef, restaurateur and author Masaharu Morimoto served as the 2025 Grand Marshal.
Activists protesting against attacks targeting Asian citizens and anti-Asian rhetoric have also marched in the parade.
Sponsors
Sponsors for this year’s Japan Parade and Street Fair include:
Diamond Sponsors: ANA (All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd.), Bandai Namco Toys & Collectibles America Inc., Daiwa Capital Markets America Inc., Hisamitsu America, Inc., ITOCHU International Inc., and Japan Airlines Co., Ltd.
Platinum Sponsors: KDDI America, Inc., Marubeni America Corporation, Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas), Mitsui & Co. (U.S.A.), Inc., Nippon Life Insurance Company, Nomura America Foundation, Sojitz Corporation of America, and Sumitomo Corporation of America.
Gold Sponsors: ITO EN (North America) INC., J.C.C. Fund / Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of New York, Inc. / The Nippon Club, Inc., “K” LINE LOGISTICS (U.S.A.) INC., Mayer Brown LLP, MSIG USA, The Prince Kitano New York, and Tokio Marine America.
The Japan Parade & Street Fair is affiliated with Japan Day @ Central Park, an annual event held in Central Park from 2007 to 2019.
More About Japan Day
Japan Day Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is the primary organizer of the Japan Day @ Central Park festivals from 2007 to 2019, and of Japan Parade and the Japan Street Fair since 2022. Japan Day Inc.’s activities are made possible by the support of the local leading Japanese American companies that compose Japan Day Inc.’s Board of Directors, the Consulate General of Japan in New York, and all the individuals, organizations, and companies that sponsor, donate, or volunteer and are a part of this great celebration.
