Sumo, Sushi, Samurai Beats: Konnichiwa Japan Festival 2025 Kicks Off in Delhi Today
Two sumo wrestlers and 130 Japanese artists turn Select CITYWALK into a weekend walk through Tokyo, from taiko drums and cosplay to ramen streets and anime beats.
New Delhi, India – Delhi steps into the sights, sounds, and flavours of Japan as Konnichiwa Japan Festival 2025 begins today at Select CITYWALK, Saket. Running through December 13–14, the two-day extravaganza transforms the popular open-air mall into a vibrant showcase of Japanese culture, pop energy, cuisine, and Indo-Japan friendship—one of the capital’s biggest year-end cultural celebrations.
The festival opens with an electrifying line-up of over 130 Japanese artists, including two sumo wrestlers, promising a high-energy programme that blends tradition with contemporary Japan. Across both days, visitors can explore an immersive mix of stage performances, hands-on workshops, interactive zones, and food streets designed for families, students, Japan enthusiasts, and industry visitors alike.
Held under the theme “Japan Meets India,” the festival brings together heritage and modern expression. Live performances and activities—drawing inspiration from popular past editions—include taiko drumming, martial arts and sumo demonstrations, tea ceremonies, bonsai and calligraphy corners, kimono and yukata try-ons, and colourful cosplay parades. These sit alongside anime, gaming, and J-music segments, ensuring strong appeal for younger audiences and pop-culture fans.
Organisers have curated the 2025 edition as a complete “walk-through Japan in a weekend,” with distinct spaces devoted to culture, travel, food, business and education, and technology, allowing visitors to experience multiple facets of Japan in one central location.
Food once again takes centre stage. A lively Japanese food street features stalls serving sushi, ramen, tempura, street snacks, desserts, and speciality beverages, recreating a casual festival-style dining experience in the heart of Saket. For first-time visitors, it offers an accessible introduction to Japanese flavours, while regular attendees get the chance to sample new brands and restaurants entering the Delhi-NCR market.
Beyond culture and cuisine, Konnichiwa Japan Festival 2025 continues its role as a platform for deeper people-to-people and business connections between India and Japan. Information booths on travel to Japan, higher education, language learning, and corporate collaboration are part of the programme, building on a tradition that has previously brought together tourism boards, study-in-Japan counsellors, Japanese companies, and Indian partners. A similar mix is present this year, giving visitors direct access to reliable information and opportunities.
For Delhi’s fast-growing J-culture community—anime and manga fans, language learners, cosplayers, and students—the December 13–14 weekend is being promoted as a must-attend event. With free public access, a central venue, and a full-day schedule across both days, the festival celebrates how far Indo-Japan cultural exchange has come, while inviting Delhi-NCR residents to discover their own connection with Japan.
The Konnichiwa Japan Festival 2025 is spearheaded by the Konnichiwa Japan Club in collaboration with a strong network of Japanese and Indian partners, including the World Heritage Academy, Japan Foundation New Delhi, and the India Japan Friendship Forum, along with key industry supporters such as Isuzu Motors India, Asahi Breweries, and Aju Ryokan Hotel. Select CITYWALK, Saket, serves as the venue partner.
The executive committee works closely with community media partner ACN Network and business organisations like JCCII (Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry in India) to position the festival as both a cultural showcase and a bridge for people-to-people and corporate engagement—bringing the full spectrum of traditional and contemporary Japan to Delhi, starting today.
