MoN Takanawa: The Museum of Narratives, operated by the JR East Cultural Foundation, is teaming up with TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY (JR East's Takanawa Gateway Station) to turn the entire Takanawa neighborhood into a stage for a program themed around "tsukimachi," or moon waiting.
From September 7 (Mon) to October 4 (Sun), 2026, MoN Takanawa runs the 28-day limited program "MoON MONTH — The Month That Waits for the Moon —." In the Edo period, Takanawa was known as a celebrated spot for moon viewing, and on the night of the 26th day of the seventh lunar month, crowds would gather for "Nijurokuya-machi," waiting for a slim crescent moon to rise over the sea. This event reinterprets that once-thriving Takanawa custom of waiting for the moon together over food and drink and conversation. Throughout the period, MoN Takanawa hosts moon-themed art, food, music, and hands-on programs across the venue. As the neighborhood changes, the moon people wait for does not. Carrying forward a culture once beloved here, the program layers new stories onto it, connecting culture toward the next hundred years.
MoON MONTH Program and Event Details
During MoON MONTH, MoN Takanawa hosts a range of events evoking the bustle of the Edo period. Highlights include an immersive planetarium, servings of the traditional Japanese sake "doburoku," mochi pounding, and performers in Edo-period dress parading through the venue, enlivening both the venue and the whole neighborhood. Also planned are a talk event with the creator of the popular manga Uchu Kyodai (Space Brothers), a workshop drawing the moon with handmade plant-based ink, and stargazing. The venue's cafes and restaurants will also serve limited-quantity, limited-time menu items such as a "Tsukimachi Mitarashi Smoothie" and a "Moon Cocktail."
Tsukimachi Mitarashi Smoothie, ¥1,000 (tax included)
Harvest Moon (alcoholic), ¥1,200 (tax included)
Pear Moon (non-alcoholic), ¥1,000 (tax included) in-store / ¥850 (tax included) takeout
Walking Through Edo's Night Sky: The Immersive Planetarium "Tsukimachi no Yoi"
This immersive planetarium recreates the Edo-period night sky and projects it onto the floor, offering a moment that feels like walking through Edo's own starry sky. Visitors can learn about the history of "Nijurokuya-machi," the moon-waiting custom passed down in Takanawa and depicted in ukiyo-e by the first Utagawa Hiroshige, while experiencing the richness that the Edo-era "time spent waiting for the moon" held for people of that time. Evening sessions from 5:00 PM include a set ticket with one drink. The program was produced by planetarium creator Takayuki Ohira, with narration by voice actor and actor Kenjiro Tsuda. Planning and production by Kundo Koyama.
Dates: September 9 (Wed) to September 26 (Sat), 2026 *No performance September 12 (Sat)
Hours:
Daytime sessions: 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM (each session 30 minutes / screening 20 minutes)
Evening sessions: 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM (screening 20 minutes / free exit after the screening)
5:00 PM (starts 5:15 PM), 6:00 PM (starts 6:15 PM), 7:00 PM (starts 7:15 PM)
*Strollers are permitted for daytime sessions only.
*Evening sessions only include one drink (screening content does not change).
*Drinks are distributed before the evening screening begins; distribution may not be possible once the screening time has passed.
Venue: MoN Takanawa 2F Box300
Production: Takayuki Ohira (Ohira Lab)
Narration: Kenjiro Tsuda
Planning and Production: Kundo Koyama
Admission: (Free for preschoolers / same-day tickets available)
Daytime session: ¥500 (tax included)
Evening session: ¥1,500 (tax included), includes one drink (alcoholic or soft drink)
Ticket sales period: August 24 (Mon) to September 26 (Sat)
*Tickets are sold via MoN Takanawa Tickets and the official MoN Takanawa ticket outlet, Fever.
*Same-day tickets are sold on-site only if seats remain.
Program details: https://montakanawa.jp/programs/tsukimachinoyoi/
Special event: For evening-session ticket holders on September 9 (Wed) and 13 (Sun) only, a "moon-waiting drink" that enriches the waiting time will be served alongside the one included drink.
- September 9 (Wed): Takahashi Shuzo "Matsuyoi"
- September 13 (Sun): Tsuno Wine "Prestige Chardonnay Tsuno"
Jikuourai: Edo Takanawa Nijurokuya-machi Special Event — People From the Edo Period Are Coming
Throughout the period, a photo spot themed around "Nijurokuya-machi" is set up at the 2F entrance to welcome visitors, reviving the moon-viewing atmosphere of Edo-era Takanawa across time. On September 13 (Sun) only, performers dressed in authentic period costume, as if stepping out of the Edo era, parade cheerfully through the venue. Visitors can enjoy a moment where Edo and the present intersect, reflecting on the crowds that once gathered here for moon viewing.
Dates: September 9 (Wed) to September 27 (Sun), 2026
*September 13 (Sun) 1:00 PM to 7:00 PM: Special Event — People From the Edo Period Are Coming
Hours: 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM (follows museum operating hours)
Venue: MoN Takanawa 2F entrance area (free admission)
Planning, production, makeup, and wigs: NHK Art
Costumes: Toho Costume
Props and decoration: Telefit
Set construction: Tokyo Staff
Landscaping: Green Wise
Performers: Kuroki Pro
Admission: Free (no reservation needed)
Program details: https://montakanawa.jp/programs/jikuoorai/
A Tale of an Edo Moonlit Night: Kitagawa Utamaro's "Moon at Shinagawa" and Takanawa's Nijurokuya-machi
This exhibition presents an immersive display of "Moon at Shinagawa," a hand-painted masterpiece by Kitagawa Utamaro, one of the mid-Edo period's most celebrated bijin-ga (pictures of beautiful women) artists. The work has been digitized in ultra-high resolution through the leading-edge photography and image-processing technology of the Tsuzuri Project, a social contribution initiative jointly run by Canon and the Kyoto Culture Association (an NPO). On a giant screen viewed from roughly 100 tatami mats, the twenty vividly depicted figures unfold the story of a single Edo night — a program tracing Edo moon viewing's transformation, from quiet moon-gazing seen from a tatami room to the raucous excitement of stalls lit along the shore, pleasure boats crowding the water, and moon-viewing turned into a passionate festival.
On the 3F "Sun Lab" space, works by Utagawa Hiroshige are shown alongside an introduction to moon-waiting customs of the time. In the 3F "Land Lab" space, each of the twenty figures appearing in Utamaro's "Moon at Shinagawa" is presented as an individual "narrative" through translucent graphic sheets applied to the windows, alongside panel displays introducing the Tsuzuri Project's activities and the history of the Freer Gallery of Art in the United States, which holds "Moon at Shinagawa."
Dates: September 9 (Wed) to October 4 (Sun), 2026
Hours: 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM
*Follows museum operating hours; the space may close during other events.
Venue: MoN Takanawa 4F Tatami, 3F Sun Lab, 3F Land Lab
Organizer: MoN Takanawa: The Museum of Narratives
Planning: Canon Marketing Japan Content Promotion Center
Art direction: Canon Inc. Global Design Center
Supervision: Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art
Cooperation: Tsuzuri Project (Canon Inc., Kyoto Culture Association NPO)
Admission: Free (no reservation needed)
Program details: https://montakanawa.jp/programs/moonatshinagawa/
A Variety of Moon-Themed Events, Mostly on Weekends
Throughout MoON MONTH, a variety of moon-themed events take place mostly on weekends, including talk events, workshops, and food-culture experiences.
The Moonlit Scenery Returns to Takanawa — Moon-Viewing Tatami, Public Production
As the opening event of the moon-waiting month, a newly designed moon-themed tatami mat debuts in "Tatami," an exhibition space built around the concept of traditional Japanese culture. The moon-viewing tatami combines seigaiha, a traditional wave pattern, with a depiction of the "Nijurokuya-machi" moon. At the venue, tatami craftsman Kenji Yamada, known for design-forward tatami that fuse traditional culture with new techniques, publicly creates the piece, with some participatory content also planned. Visitors can watch the moonlit scenery once seen in old Takanawa return atop a new tatami mat.
Date: September 6 (Sun), 2026
Hours: 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM
Venue: MoN Takanawa 4F Tatami
Organizer: MoN Takanawa: The Museum of Narratives
Design and production: Kenji Yamada (Japanese Floor)
Program details: https://montakanawa.jp/programs/tsukimidatami/
J-WAVE Special Program "BEYOND THE MOON" Public Recording
On the night of September 12 (Sat), Japan's "Space Day" and a new moon, J-WAVE records a special program at MoN Takanawa. Taking the moon-viewing culture that people in Edo-era Takanawa cherished as its theme, the talk event introduces moon viewing, Nijurokuya-machi, how the moon appears, and its relationship to the calendar, unraveling the feelings people have long held toward the moon. At MoN Takanawa, the program weaves together history, astronomy, and culture, publicly recording a show that connects Takanawa's historic scenery with a present-day moon-viewing experience. The event is open to invited J-WAVE members as well as the general public, with numbered tickets for the general-admission slots distributed from 10:00 AM at the 2F entrance on the day.
Date: September 12 (Sat), 2026
Hours: 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Venue: MoN Takanawa 6F Moon-Viewing Terrace *Moves to the restaurant "Laube" in case of rain
Partner: J-WAVE
Navigator: Yukino Nagai
Guests: Nobuo Oki (vocalist and guitarist of the band ACIDMAN), Masumi Horiguchi (a historical writer, jidaigeki actress, and researcher of Edo-era customs known as "Oedoru")
Admission: Free
How to participate:
J-WAVE listener member invitation slots *Application deadline: August 30
https://www.j-wave.co.jp/jlc/jme/entry/enquete/beyondthemoon2026General-admission slots
Same-day tickets distributed from 10:00 AM at the 2F entrance (planned)
*Distribution ends once the planned quantity is reached.
Program details: https://montakanawa.jp/programs/beyondthemoon/
Uchu Kyodai (Space Brothers) × Moon-Viewing Sake: "Otsukimi Talk Live"
Chuya Koyama, creator of the popular space-themed manga Uchu Kyodai (Space Brothers), gathers at MoN Takanawa with noted sake brewers Yusuke Sato of Aramasa Shuzo and Hidehiko Matsumoto of Hibi Jozo, along with Yohei Sadoshima of Cork Inc., the editor who has worked on Uchu Kyodai. The four will hold a talk-live event on the night of the harvest moon, discussing manga, sake brewing, the moon and space, and craftsmanship. Attendees can sample sips of a sake brewed for the collaboration.
Date: September 25 (Fri), 2026
Hours: Starts 6:30 PM, expected to end around 8:00 PM (doors open 6:00 PM)
Venue: MoN Takanawa 4F Tatami
Organizer: Cork Inc.
Co-organizer: MoN Takanawa: The Museum of Narratives
Performers: Uchu Kyodai creator Chuya Koyama; Yusuke Sato, president of Aramasa Shuzo; Hidehiko Matsumoto, president of Hibi Jozo; Yohei Sadoshima, president of Cork Inc.
Admission: ¥3,850 (tax included) *Advance tickets go on sale September 9 (Wed) at 8:00 PM
Ticket sales URL: https://2026-iwaisake.peatix.com
Moon Palette: A Drawing Workshop Using Plant-Based Ink Themed Around the Moon
Long-loved natural colors made from plants. In keeping with "Nijurokuya-machi," participants draw the moon using inks handmade from plants in a range of colors. Under the open sky, guests can spread out white paper and draw freely in the colors of their choosing.
Date: September 13 (Sun), 2026
Hours: 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM
Venue: MoN Takanawa rooftop, MoN Farm *Moves to Land Lab in case of rain
Planning cooperation: mitosaya Botanical Distillery, SynecO Inc.
Capacity: Approximately 12 people (advance reservation required)
Admission: General ¥2,000 / elementary school students and under ¥1,000 (advance and same-day tickets) *Free for preschoolers
Program details: https://montakanawa.jp/programs/moonpalette/
Viewing the Moon Through a Telescope: Exploring Takanawa's Sky With a Stargazing Guide, Connecting Edo and Today
This astronomical observation program lets visitors enjoy the moon through telescopes made by Vixen, an optics maker marking its 77th year in business, with the aim of building a culture and era where more people want to enjoy the night sky.
Date: September 23 (Wed/Holiday), 2026
Hours: Not yet decided; please check the official website for details.
Organizer: MoN Takanawa: The Museum of Narratives
Planning, production, and operation: Vixen Co., Ltd.
Venue: MoN Takanawa rooftop *Subject to change in case of rain
Capacity: Not yet decided; please check the official website for details.
Admission: Paid (advance reservation and same-day sales)
Program details: https://montakanawa.jp/programs/telescope2026/
Edo Takanawa Moon-Waiting Mochi Pounding — Watch, Pound, and Taste
For two days only, September 12 (Sat) and 13 (Sun), "Edo Mochitsukiya," a group active under the concept of passing on time-honored traditional culture, performs authentic mochi pounding with a wooden mortar and pestle at "Edo Takanawa Tsukimachi Mochitsuki." Visitors can enjoy freshly pounded mochi while reflecting on Nijurokuya-machi at MoN Takanawa. Served in limited quantities.
Dates: September 12 (Sat) to September 13 (Sun), 2026
Hours: From 4:30 PM
Venue: MoN Takanawa 2F entrance lobby
Cooperation: Edo Mochitsukiya
Admission: Free
"Takanawa Doburoku" Free Tasting
For September 12 (Sat) only during the run, a free tasting of junmai doburoku made using only Tokyo water, rice, and koji, produced in collaboration with Tokyo Minato Shuzo, a sake brewery in Shiba, Minato-ku, enlivens the Edo-Takanawa moon-waiting event. Served in limited quantities.
Date: September 12 (Sat), 2026
Hours: 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM *Ends once supplies run out
Venue: MoN Takanawa 4F Tatami
Admission: Free
"Kurashi no Manimani" Collaborative Exhibit — August: Local Passions, Kurashi no Manimani, Twelve Months on Tatami — Display of Works From the "Moon-Viewing MoN Kirie Andon Workshop"
On MoN Takanawa's roughly 100-tatami-mat "Tatami" space, "Kurashi no Manimani" is a monthly program celebrating Japan's four seasons. August's theme is "festivals." Drawing on Takanawa's moon-viewing custom of Nijurokuya-machi, a workshop uses the traditional "mon-kiri" (crest-cutting) paper technique to create fantastical "moon-viewing andon" lanterns. Works created in the workshop are displayed as part of "Sun Lab" throughout the period for visitors to enjoy.
Program details: https://montakanawa.jp/programs/manimani_august2026/
TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY Hosts "Takanawa Tsukimachi"
From September 7 (Mon) to September 13 (Sun), 2026, TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY hosts "Takanawa Tsukimachi," a new style of moon-waiting cultural event inspired by Nijurokuya-machi that brings together food, traditional culture and experiences, and art, honoring a moon that has remained unchanged for over 100 years while looking ahead to the next hundred.
Details: https://www.takanawagateway-city.com/tsukimachi/
Event Overview
Venue: TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY, citywide — Gateway Park, Gateway Studio, NEWoMan TAKANAWA, MoN Takanawa: The Museum of Narratives, and JW Marriott Hotel Tokyo
Dates: September 7 (Mon) to September 13 (Sun), 2026
Organizer: East Japan Railway Company
Co-organizer: JR East Cultural Foundation
Cooperation: Lumine Co., Ltd.; Takanawa Gateway Area Management (a general incorporated association)
An Experimental Museum of Culture, From Tradition to Manga, Music, and Space
The name "MoN" in The Museum of Narratives carries two meanings: a "gate" (mon) opening onto a new world where visitors encounter a new side of themselves, and a "question" (mon) for thinking about and creating the future.
Official website: https://montakanawa.jp/
Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/montakanawa/ (@montakanawa)
Further details will be announced as they become available.
Facility Overview
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | MoN Takanawa: The Museum of Narratives |
| Operator | JR East Cultural Foundation |
| Site Area | 7,977.31 m² |
| Total Floor Area | 28,952.55 m² |
| Height | 44.98 m |
| Number of Floors | 6 floors above ground, 3 floors below ground |
| Main Use | Exhibition halls, halls, dining facilities, etc. |
| Designer / Design Architect | Shinagawa Development Project (Phase I) Design Joint Venture; Exterior Design Architect: Kengo Kuma and Associates |
*"MoN," "MoN Takanawa," and "MoN Takanawa: The Museum of Narratives" are registered trademarks of the JR East Cultural Foundation.
