Hyper Japan returns to London this weekend: Tickets, acts and everything else to know about the J-Culture event

Festival of all things J-culture and beyond, Hyper Japan, returns to London this weekend.

Running from 24th to 26th July at Olympia London, this year's event marks 16 years since the show was first held in 2010.

Still wondering whether to pick up tickets or not? Here are the details, and what you can expect from this year’s show.

What's on at Hyper Japan?

Merch is a massive focus of Hyper Japan. Olympia London will be packed with stalls selling all manner of toys, bits of memorabilia and crafts.

Before planning your day, you should also check out the timetable of stage acts too. There are bands, dance groups and string ensembles throughout each day — a good way to break up the day and take a breather from bustling through crowds.

Headliner acts later in the day include Queen Bee and Upiko on Friday, Chaidura and Press X on Saturday and Re:0 plus avantgardey on Sunday.

There will be plenty of places to grab some food at Hyper Japan, but entry rules are thankfully a lot looser here than at most of the “festivals” we write about, letting you eat elsewhere too.

You can leave and come back, as you get a wristband on entry, and are welcome to bring drinks and snacks in. Just leave the booze at home as that won’t be allowed.

If you want to save some cash — as food is never cheap at these things — there is a Tesco Express nearby, as well as a Londis and Sainsbury’s within a few hundred metres of Olympia London.

Oh, and while cosplaying is welcomed, leave out the weapons as they aren’t allowed, alongside “adult fetish attire.” And, as an odd specific, vuvuzelas.

Last year, in 2025, Hyper Japan took place in both London and Manchester, with that more northern version held in November.

According to the organisers, more than 53,000 came to the London edition in 2025, with more than 90 per cent being UK residents.

Hyper Japan 2026: Tickets and tips

The biggest of fans can pick up a weekend ticket for £78.75, including all fees. But if you want to save some money, and can take a half day or more off work, it’s Friday that gets you the best deal on entry.

A day ticket for the Friday session, 12-8pm, costs £28.25. Saturday costs £41.55 while the shorter Sunday session, 10-5pm, is £31.50 a head.

Two-day tickets are also available, for £69.30 a head, but that only really represents a saving if you’ll visit Saturday and Sunday — a minor one at that.

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Andrew Williams has written about all sorts of stuff for more than a decade — from tech and fitness to entertainment and fashion. He has written for a stack of magazines and websites including Wired, TrustedReviews, TechRadar and Stuff, enjoys going to gigs and painting in his spare time. He's also suspiciously good at poker.