Around 300 years ago, Takanawa served as one of the gateways to Edo and was known as a popular moon-viewing spot.
On the night of the 26th day of the seventh month in the old lunar calendar, people from all over Edo would gather to wait for a thin, delicate moon rising from the sea — a custom known as Nijuroku-ya Machi ("waiting for the 26th-night moon"). Catching sight of its light was said to bring good fortune. Food stalls lined the shore, and the sound of shamisen music and laughter filled the night sky, making it one of Edo's most beloved autumn traditions. Carrying on that moon-waiting culture, TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY — a place built to connect culture a hundred years into the future — continues to add new stories to this legacy.
From Monday, September 7 to Sunday, September 13, 2026, TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY hosts Takanawa Tsukimachi, an event that honors a moon unchanged for over a hundred years while looking a hundred years ahead.
The event features limited-time offerings found only during Takanawa Tsukimachi, including a Tokyo Port Brewery sake pairing menu built around the doburoku "Takanawa Doburoku Tsukimachi," and a special afternoon tea at JW Marriott Hotel Tokyo, alongside cultural experiences such as a mochi-pounding performance and special content that recreates Edo's Nijuroku-ya Machi tradition.
A fantastical moon-themed light installation appears on the water's surface, alongside an art workshop. Two to three food trucks also set up daily at Gateway Park, and a free yukata-dressing service lets visitors stroll the neighborhood and enjoy the event in yukata.
The event brings modern gourmet offerings and art into the elegant moon-waiting hours that once excited the people of Edo, offering a new experience unique to this time and place.
Takanawa Tsukimachi
Event Overview
- Dates: September 7 (Mon) to September 13 (Sun), 2026
- Venue: TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY, citywide — including Gateway Park, Gateway Studio, NEWoMan TAKANAWA, MoN Takanawa: The Museum of Narratives (MoN Takanawa), and JW Marriott Hotel Tokyo
- Organizer: East Japan Railway Company
- Co-organizer: East Japan Railway Foundation for Cultural Innovations
- Cooperation: LUMINE Co., Ltd.; Takanawa Gateway Area Management Association
The following is a selection of the event's programming.
Gourmet
Free "Takanawa Doburoku Tsukimachi" Tasting & 700ml Bottle Sales
Free tasting:
- Gateway Park: September 11 (Fri) to 13 (Sun), 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM
- MoN Takanawa Tatami: September 12 (Sat), 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM
700ml bottle sales:
- Gateway Park: September 11 (Fri) to 13 (Sun), 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM
- NEWoMan TAKANAWA "sakejump takanawa": September 7 (Mon) to 13 (Sun), 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM (last order 9:30 PM)
*Both end once supplies run out.
Made in collaboration with Tokyo Port Brewery — the only sake brewery in Tokyo's 23 wards, located in Shiba, Minato City — this junmai doburoku uses only Tokyo water, rice, and koji. It carries a gentle sweetness reminiscent of amazake and a refreshing acidity, with a mild, easy-drinking character. Its relatively low alcohol content makes it approachable even for those who don't usually drink.
Yukata Visitor Perk 1: JW Marriott Hotel Tokyo Afternoon Tea Special
- Dates: September 7 (Mon) to 13 (Sun), 12:00 PM to 7:30 PM
- Venue: JW Marriott Hotel Tokyo, 30F JW Lounge
The JW Lounge (30F) at JW Marriott Hotel Tokyo is currently serving a limited-time "Santa Maria Novella Afternoon Tea — Giardini Medicei (Gardens of the Medici Family)." For the seven days from September 7 to 13, visitors who bring the event flyer and arrive in a yukata receive a complimentary glass of sparkling wine (or a non-alcoholic option).
Inspired by Santa Maria Novella's eau de parfum "Giardini Medicei (Gardens of the Medici Family)," the menu pairs savory bites and sweets that bring together the collection's scent, flavor, and color.
During the same period, the hotel's JW Lounge and JW Bar also offer a croissant, a burger, and a cocktail themed around Nijuroku-ya Machi.
Yukata Visitor Perk 2: Hard-to-Find Takanawa Sweets Giveaway
- Dates: September 11 (Fri) to 13 (Sun), 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM
- Venue: Gateway Studio
Visitors who arrive in a yukata can enter a drawing for prizes such as PATISSERIE RYOCO's vanilla financier, Matsushimaya's mame daifuku (bean-filled mochi), and drink tickets.
*Mame daifuku and financiers are available while supplies last, and are also sold separately in limited quantities.
*Mame daifuku available September 11 and 12 only.
Left: PATISSERIE RYOCO's vanilla financier, baked to a moist, fragrant finish with organic vanilla and Spanish almonds.
Right: Matsushimaya's mame daifuku. Founded in 1918, this confectionery is known for mame daifuku ranked among Tokyo's three great daifuku.
sakejump takanawa x Tokyo Port Brewery Special Pairing Menu
- Dates: September 7 (Mon) to 13 (Sun), 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM
- Venue: NEWoMan TAKANAWA MIMURE 3F, "sakejump takanawa"
During the event, "sakejump takanawa" serves a special "Takanawa Tsukimachi" pairing menu, featuring the event's limited-edition doburoku "Tsukimachi" alongside a selection of sake from Tokyo Port Brewery, which brews sake in central Tokyo, paired with dishes chosen to complement each pour.
Tradition & Experience
Special Event: The People of Edo Return
- Dates: September 13 (Sun), 1:00 PM to 7:00 PM
- Venue: Throughout MoN Takanawa and the surrounding streets
The atmosphere of Edo-era Takanawa, once a lively moon-viewing destination, returns across time. Photo spots themed around Nijuroku-ya Machi will be on display, and on September 13, visitors can experience a bustling scene reminiscent of the people who once gathered there.
Edo Takanawa Moon-Waiting Mochi Pounding — See, Pound, and Taste
- Dates: September 12 (Sat) to 13 (Sun), from 4:30 PM
- Venue: MoN Takanawa, 2F entrance lobby
Aiming to pass down traditional culture and energize the local community, Edo Mochitsukiya — a group that carries on mochi-pounding traditions from the Edo period — leads a participatory mochi-pounding performance. Amid lively calls and festive musical accompaniment, visitors can join craftsmen dressed in happi coats to pound mochi themselves.
The two-day event offers a chance to experience Edo's atmosphere and traditional culture with all five senses.
Free Yukata Dressing Service
- Dates: September 12 (Sat) to 13 (Sun), 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM
- Reservation period: August 25 (Tue) to September 11 (Fri)
- Venue: THE LINKPILLAR 1 SOUTH 6F, TAKANAWA GATEWAY Convention Center Room 603
Over the two days, a free yukata-dressing service (about 20 minutes) is offered to visitors who bring their own yukata, limited to 36 people per day. Dressing requires an advance reservation made through the TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY app.
It's a limited program that makes it easy to join in the festival atmosphere.
Art
Moon on the Water
- Dates: September 7 (Mon) to 13 (Sun) (lit from 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM)
- Venue: Gateway Park
An object roughly 6 meters in diameter, representing the moon, is reflected on the water's surface. After sunset, viewed from a certain spot, it reveals the thin, delicate Nijuroku-ya moon once cherished in Takanawa.
Moon and Color — Moon Palette
- Dates: September 13 (Sun), 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM
- Venue: MoN Takanawa, MoN Farm
Colors drawn from plants have long been cherished as part of Japanese culture. Inspired by Nijuroku-ya Machi, this workshop invites participants to paint the moon using handmade inks made from plants, spreading white paper across MoN Farm and adding color freely.
Ticket purchase site: https://montakanawa.jp/programs/moonpalette/
For more information on the event overall, visit the official website: https://www.takanawagateway-city.com/
Related Event Held at the Same Time
MoON MONTH — A Month of Waiting for the Moon — September 7 (Mon) to October 4 (Sun)
MoN Takanawa: The Museum of Narratives, operated by the East Japan Railway Foundation for Cultural Innovations, co-hosts a 28-day program with TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY from September 7 to October 4, 2026, called MoON MONTH — A Month of Waiting for the Moon. The program reinterprets the culture once alive in Takanawa for the present day, spreading art, food, and music across the neighborhood. Highlights include an immersive planetarium, free doburoku tastings, mochi pounding, a parade of Edo-period costumes, a workshop for painting the moon with natural dye inks, and stargazing, along with limited-time menu items such as a "moon-waiting mitarashi smoothie" at MoN Takanawa's cafes and restaurants. For details, visit the official website: https://montakanawa.jp/articles/columns/moonmonth2026/
Featured Content (Selected Highlights)
Immersive Planetarium "The Night of Moon-Waiting": Walking Through Edo's Night Sky
- Dates: September 9 (Wed) to 26 (Sat)
- Daytime sessions: 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM (each session 30 minutes, 20-minute screening)
- Evening sessions: 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM (20-minute screening; free exit after each showing)
- Venue: MoN Takanawa Box300
This immersive planetarium recreates the Edo-period night sky and projects it onto the floor, offering an experience like walking through Edo's stars. While learning about the history of Nijuroku-ya Machi — a Takanawa tradition also depicted in an ukiyo-e print by the first Utagawa Hiroshige — visitors can sense the richness of the "time spent waiting for the moon" once treasured by the people of Edo. The program was produced by planetarium creator Takayuki Ohira, with narration by voice actor and actor Kenjiro Tsuda.
A Moonlit Story from the Edo Period — Kitagawa Utamaro's "Moon at Shinagawa" and Takanawa's Nijuroku-ya Machi
- Dates: September 9 (Wed) to October 4 (Sun), 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM (may be closed at times when other events are underway)
- Venue: MoN Takanawa Tatami, Sun Lab, Land Lab
This exhibition traces the changing history of Edo-era moon viewing, including an immersive display where visitors view Kitagawa Utamaro's masterpiece "Moon at Shinagawa" from atop roughly 100 tatami mats. On the 3rd floor, "Sun Lab" introduces moon-waiting customs through video of Utagawa Hiroshige's work, while "Land Lab" presents panel displays on the stories behind the artwork's 20 characters and the history of the Freer Gallery of Art, which holds "Moon at Shinagawa."
J-WAVE Special Program "BEYOND THE MOON" Public Recording
- Dates: September 12 (Sat), 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM
- Venue: MoN Takanawa Moon-Viewing Terrace
On the night of September 12, when "Space Day" coincides with the new moon, a talk event unpacks the moon-viewing culture once cherished in Edo-era Takanawa, touching on Nijuroku-ya Machi, the moon's changing appearance, and its relationship to the calendar, along with the feelings people have long held toward the moon. Recorded publicly at MoN Takanawa, the program weaves together history, astronomy, and culture. Attendance is by invitation for J-WAVE listener members, with same-day numbered tickets planned for general seating. Details are available on the official website.
MoON MONTH Limited Original Drinks
From top:
- Moon-Waiting Mitarashi Smoothie — MoN Park Cafe by Spiral
- Pear Moon (non-alcoholic) and Harvest Moon (alcoholic) — MoN Garden Restaurant "LAUBE"
*Available in limited quantities; ends once supplies run out.
