The Nikkei Matsuri is a Japanese festival at Burnaby‘s Nikkei Museum and Cultural Centre. The event happens on the Labour Day weekend in September.
In 2025 the festival ran on the weekend of August 30th and 31st. Visit the Nikkei Matsuri website for full details. Nikkei Matsuri will likely be back over the Labour Day long weekend in 2026 which falls between September 5th and 7th.
In this article you’ll find the following information about Nikkei Matsuri:
When is the Nikkei Matsuri? | Where is the Nikkei Matsuri? | Festival Admission | Nikkei Matsuri Activities | Other Information
Nikkei Matsuri Japanese Festival
“Matsuri” in Japanese means “festival” and the Nikkei Matsuri is indeed a traditional-style Japanese festival.
At the event there are tea ceremonies, numerous performances, a marketplace, food vendors and a variety of family-friendly activities. In years with good weather, as many as 14,000 people attend over the course of the weekend.
When is the Nikkei Matsuri?
The Nikkei Matsuri normally takes place on the last couple days of the summer, just before kids return to school, so on the Labour Day long weekend.
In 2025 the festival ran on the Saturday and Sunday of August 30th and August 31st. The activities ran from 11:00 am until 7:00 pm on both days.
Where is the Nikkei Matsuri?
The Nikkei Matsuri is held at the Nikkei National Museum and Cultural Centre at 6688 Southoaks Crescent. The venue is a short drive west of Metropolis at Metrotown just off Kingsway in Burnaby.
Parking and Transportation
If you plan to go to the event, take public transit as the location is easily accessible.
Limited parking is available at the Nikkei Centre’s underground parkade for about $15 per day. Free parking in nearby neighbourhoods may also be available.
Festival Admission
Admission to the festival is free for children under 18 years old and for seniors ages 65 and older. However, paid tickets are required for adults between the ages of 18 and 64. Tickets cost $10 when purchased online in advance. Each ticket is valid for just one day of the festival.
Visit the Nikkei Matsuri website for full details about this event.
Nikkei Matsuri Activities
The Nikkei Matsuri is a Japanese community festival featuring a wide range of activities each year. The festival typically features live performances and a Game Zone, as well as a small marketplace, Food Truck Plaza and a Japanese used book sale.
Matsuri Performances
Entertainment at the Nikkei Matsuri on the Labour Day long weekend includes performances by various local singing and dance groups, Taiko drummers and more. Some performances are indoors and some are outside in the garden most years.
Matsuri Game Zone
Popular with children at the Nikkei Matsuri is the Game Zone, which includes a variety of simple midway-type games where you buy tokens to play and have the chance to win prizes. Depending on the year, Game Zone activities can include ring toss, balloon darts, bean bag toss and other games that young kids will enjoy.
2025 Festival Performers
Highlights of the 2025 Nikkei Matsuri included the following activities and performances (with exact details subject to change).
Saturday (August 30th)
- 11:30 am – Opening Ceremony
- 12:00 pm – Rakuichi Mikoshi Parade and Lion Dance
- 12:30 pm – Kotonone Kai Koto, Japanese Strings
- 1:00 pm – Southern Wave Okinawan Music & Dance
- 1:30 pm – Chibi Taiko – Japanese Drums
- 2:00 pm – Nishikawa-ryu Canada Satsuki-kai
- 2:40 pm – Non Sweet J-Pop Girl Group
- 3:00 pm – Bon Odori with Satsuki-Kai
- 4:00 pm – Martial Arts Demonstrations
- 5:00 pm – Rainy Night Troubles J-Anime Music Duo
- 6:00 pm – WA Studio KIWA – Kimono Fashion Show and Performance
Sunday (August 31st)
- 12:00 pm – Rakuichi Mikoshi Parade and Lion Dance
- 12:30 pm – Martial Arts Demonstrations
- 1:30 pm – CoSei – Koto and Piano Duo
- 2:00 pm – Wailele Wai Wai Hula Dance
- 2:30 pm – GO Taiko GO Japanese Drums
- 3:00 pm – Bon Odori Dance with Satsuki-kai
- 4:00 pm – Hitotose Samurai Show
- 4:30 pm – BC Ninja Union Interactive Performance
- 5:00 pm – APPARE Yosakoi Vancouver Festival
- 6:00 pm – Vancouver Okinawa Taiko Japanese Drums
Visit nikkeimatsuri.nikkeiplace.org for the festival’s official website to learn about all the activities and performances.
Other Information
See the Nikkei Matsuri website for more information about this festival. Read our article about the Nikkei National Museum and Cultural Centre to learn more about the venue and organization behind this event.
See Vancouver’s September Calendar or Festivals & Events Calendar for a list of other events taking place in the Lower Mainland this month and at other times of the year.
Other articles that might be of interest include the following:
- Nikkei Garden Farmers Market – a Japanese-themed market at the Nikkei Centre that used to take place a couple of times a month between June and October. The market isn’t happening in 2025, however.
- Sakura Days Japan Fair – a Japanese festival celebrating cherry blossom season at VanDusen Botanical Garden in April.
- Powell Street Festival – a Japanese-themed event in Vancouver’s Downtown East Side over the BC Day August long weekend.
- Vancouver History & Culture – a list of some of the region’s most interesting cultural events and places of interest.
- Vancouver’s ExplorASIAN Festival – a series of events celebrating Asian culture in May.
