Kaede Kimonos and JapanCultureNYC are collaborating to present AkumuFest: An Interactive Japanese Horror Experience! This Saturday, October 25, Japan Village will come alive with Yokai in this immersive celebration of Japanese horror, fashion, folklore, and fandom.

AkumuFest: An Interactive Japanese Horror Experience

AkumuFest merges Japanese horror aesthetics with modern fandom through immersive storytelling, folklore-inspired fashion, and interactive experiences. Attendees are invited to dress in Japanese horror cosplay, kimono, or original yokai-themed attire.

Event Details

📅 Saturday, October 25, 2025

🕘 11:00 a.m. until 6:00 pm
🌑 AkumuFest After Dark: 6:30 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.

📍 Japan Village – 934 3rd Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232

🎟️ Admission: Free

Presented By

👘 Kaede Kimonos & JapanCultureNYC
🎌 Under the patronage of Japan Village

Main Highlights

📖 Japanese Storytelling

👹 Cosplay Contest

🏮 30 Unique Vendors

BaobDraws
Sushito Clothing
Radlab Art Studio
XIseeno
Vandel M Studios
Summeresque Crochet
Partulla
CupNewdles
CleanPlum
Unlicensedkarebear
The Dark Fae Collaborative
P-GLiTCHii Studio
tiny little guys
Oishiri Sauce
Cute Tangerinie
glitched_rena
SteamCatKimono
Anubis House Productions
Kazaria3
Pucci Ropa Jewelry /Hanatural.
Crafts by Wing
Little Song’s Workshop
Natalie Anna Jacobsen – Author of Ghost Train
PlusHii Kawaii
GRINNIES /Fragrant Olive
Clucludie
JOGI NO YUME
JapanCultureNYC
Ravishing Admire
KikiPenguins

🥐 Akumu Café – Located in the courtyard in front of Panya!

🎤 Live Performers

Liana Kurogi
OMNY Taiko
Rino Day performance (Solo/Duo)
Rino Band
Let Hair Down
Edamovement Lab
Akari Village
Quantum

🏯 Brooklyn’s First Night Parade of 100 Yokai

After Dark

✨ Stay with us for AKUMUFEST AFTER DARK ✨

🎶 Live Performances • 🎭 Comedians • 🎤 Special Guests

Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc

Get ready to scream, because the Chainsaw Man Movie Trailer will be shown at AkumuFest! swing by the Chainsaw Man booth for bloody-good giveaways (while supplies last)!

Are you brave enough to step into the chaos?

For the first time, Chainsaw Man slashes his way onto the big screen in an epic, action-fueled adventure that continues the hugely popular anime series. Denji worked as a Devil Hunter for the yakuza, trying to pay off the debt he inherited from his parents, until the yakuza betrayed him and had him killed. As he was losing consciousness, Denji’s beloved chainsaw-powered devil-dog, Pochita, made a deal with Denji and saved his life. This fused the two together, creating the unstoppable Chainsaw Man. Now, in a brutal war between devils, hunters, and secret enemies, a mysterious girl named Reze has stepped into his world, and Denji faces his deadliest battle yet, fueled by love in a world where survival knows no rules.

VIP Pass

Step into the shadows with our exclusive VIP Pass, designed to give you the ultimate AkumuFest journey.

As a VIP, you’ll receive:

🍱 One Deluxe Bento Box – Choose from a curated selection of Japanese bento, each served with 2 classic side dishes.
🍬 Authentic Japanese Snack bag – Handpicked festival treats to enjoy throughout the day.
🥤 One Refreshing Drink – Choose from tea, soda, specialty drink or bottled water.
🎴 Up to Two Interactive Experiences – FREE – Whether you dare to take on the Cursed Experience Challenge or join the Yokai Hunt Tour, you can unlock up to two of these immersive adventures at no extra cost.

Your VIP pass doesn’t just give you food and perks—it grants you deeper access to the eerie, immersive world of AkumuFest. Enter, if you dare, by clicking here.

Support JapanCulture•NYC by becoming a member! For $5 a month, you’ll help maintain the high quality of our site while we continue to showcase and promote the activities of our vibrant community. Please click here to begin your membership today!

Susan McCormac 9/4/25 Susan McCormac 9/4/25

Gardens for Peace at BBG

As part of the North American Japanese Garden Association’s annual Gardens for Peace project, which brings communities together in Japanese gardens to promote peace, Brooklyn Botanic Garden is presenting free public programming in and around the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden.

Gardens for Peace

Saturday, September 6, 2025 | 11:00 a.m. until 2:30 p.m.

Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden at Brooklyn Botanic Garden – 990 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn

Free with Garden Admission: $24.22 | $17.52 Seniors and Students | Free for Children under 12

Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden at Brooklyn Botanic Garden | Photo from bbg.org

Related Activities

Japanese Garden Mini Tours
Tours run every fifteen minutes between 11:00 a.m. and noon
Meet at Duck Landing, next to Viewing Pavilion.

Enjoy a peaceful stroll through one of BBG’s best-known specialty gardens. These 15-minute tours highlight the Japanese garden elements in this historic garden designed by Takeo Shiota in 1914.

Drop-in Japanese Woodblock Printing
From noon until 2:00 p.m. at the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden Viewing Pavilion

Try your hand at woodblock printing with Sato Yamamoto, a Japanese artist inspired by culture and diversity. Choose from patterns by Sato or the Gardens for Peace pattern, designed by Toshiko Tanaka, an A-bomb survivor and advocate for world peace.

Gardens for Peace pattern, designed by Toshiko Tanaka, an A-bomb survivor and advocate for world peace

Shamisen Variation
At noon at the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden Viewing Pavilion

Enjoy a relaxing traditional Japanese shamisen variation.

Koto Performance
1:00 p.m. at the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden Viewing Pavilion

Stroll the Japanese Garden paths as you listen to a traditional style koto performance.

Bonsai Mini Drop-In Tours
1:00 p.m. until 2:30 p.m. at the C.V. Starr Bonsai Museum

Drop by to talk with trained Garden Guides about BBG’s bonsai collection, view season standouts, and ask questions. Get hands-on at the special interactive station featuring tools, pots, and trees from BBG’s Education collection.

Details

Gardens for Peace is free with admission to Brooklyn Botanic Garden. No registration is necessary to join the activities. To purchase tickets, please visit BBG’s website. Tours can be canceled due to inclement weather, so check BBG’s website for updates.

Susan McCormac 8/21/25 Susan McCormac 8/21/25

JapanCulture•NYC & Kaede Kimonos to host Pre-Halloween Bash

Kaede Kimonos and JapanCultureNYC are thrilled to announce we’re collaborating to present AkumuFest: An Interactive Japanese Horror Experience! On Saturday, October 25, Japan Village will come alive with Yokai in this immersive celebration of Japanese horror, fashion, folklore, and fandom.

AkumuFest: An Interactive Japanese Horror Experience

Kaede Kimonos and JapanCulture•NYC are thrilled to announce we’re collaborating to present AkumuFest: An Interactive Japanese Horror Experience! On Saturday, October 25, Japan Village will come alive with Yokai in this immersive celebration of Japanese horror, fashion, folklore, and fandom.