JapanFest Atlanta 2026 Guide: Tickets, Schedule, Food & What to Expect
If you love Japan but can’t make it all the way across the Pacific this fall, JapanFest Atlanta might be the next best thing.
JapanFest Atlanta returns September 19–20, 2026, bringing two days of Japanese food, performances, shopping, anime, traditional culture, hands-on experiences and more to the Gas South Convention Center in Duluth, Georgia.
We’ve attended JapanFest before, but this year will be a little different for us because we’ll actually be vending at the festival! We are sharing a booth with our friends, Sweet Intentions. After months of planning, designing products and getting everything ready, we’re excited to experience JapanFest from the other side of the table—and hopefully meet some Japanic Attack readers while we’re there.
Whether this is your first JapanFest or you’ve been going for years, here is what you need to know before attending JapanFest Atlanta 2026.
JapanFest Atlanta 2026 Dates and Location
JapanFest Atlanta 2026 will take place at the Gas South Convention Center in Duluth, Georgia.
Saturday, September 19, 2026: 10:00 AM–6:00 PM
Sunday, September 20, 2026: 10:00 AM–5:00 PM
Location:
Gas South Convention Center
6400 Sugarloaf Parkway
Duluth, GA 30097
This year’s theme is “Timeless Japan,” combining traditional Japanese culture with the modern Japan so many of us know and love.
If you live in or around Atlanta, JapanFest is one of my favorite opportunities to experience a little piece of Japan without leaving Georgia.
How Much Are JapanFest Atlanta Tickets?
Buying your tickets before the festival can save you a little money—and potentially some time waiting at the entrance.
Advance tickets are available through September 18.
Advance one-day ticket: $20.78
Advance two-day ticket: $38.13
At-the-door admission: $25.20
Military and seniors 65+: $20.78 at the door
Children 6 and under: Free
JapanFest is also offering Family & Friends packages at the door for groups of four or five.
Parking is $5 when purchased in advance through September 18 at 11:59 PM and increases to $10 beginning September 19. Prices listed by JapanFest already include the applicable facility and service fees.
Tip: If you already know you’re going, I would buy your admission and parking before September 19. You’ll save a little money and have one less thing to worry about the morning of the festival.
What Is There to Do at JapanFest Atlanta?
A lot!
One reason we enjoy JapanFest is that it isn’t only an anime convention or only a traditional cultural festival. You get a little bit of everything.
There are live performances, Japanese food, martial arts demonstrations, anime and manga vendors, Japanese businesses, traditional crafts, cultural workshops, children’s activities, sake and beer, games and plenty of shopping.
The first-floor exhibit hall alone includes food vendors, anime booths, general vendors, handcrafted goods, Japanese businesses in Georgia, Ginza Festival Square and the Hoshizaki Penguin Stage. Upstairs, you’ll find many of the hands-on cultural experiences, while additional performances and martial arts activities take place in other areas of the convention center.
My biggest advice is don’t expect to walk in and see everything in an hour or two. Look at the schedule before you go and pick a few performances or activities that you definitely don’t want to miss.
Best part it’s an indoor event so you don’t have to worry about the weather!
JapanFest Atlanta 2026 Performances
There are performances happening throughout both days, ranging from traditional Japanese arts to modern entertainment.
One of Saturday’s highlights is Waves of Harmony, an eight-piece shamisen ensemble performing on the Honda Stage. You can also see traditional Japanese storytelling from Katsura Sunshine, Japanese taiko drumming by Matsuriza, sword performance from Samurai Sword Soul, J-Pop, yo-yo performances and HARIBOW, a Japanese Double Dutch performance group.
Sunday brings many of those performers back along with Japanese classical dance from the Atlanta Onoe-Ryu School of Dance and additional martial arts and cultural performances.
I am personally excited to see how much we are actually able to catch while also working our booth!
Tip: JapanFest recommends arriving at the theater about 15 minutes before a performance you really want to see so you have a better chance of getting a seat.
Japanese Food at JapanFest
Of course, we cannot talk about JapanFest without talking about food.
The 2026 festival has a large selection of Japanese and Japanese-inspired food from restaurants and vendors around Atlanta.
Current menus include dishes such as tonkotsu ramen, curry ramen, yakisoba, curry rice, onigiri, omurice, sushi, gyoza, takoyaki, Japanese sandwiches, hibachi bowls, Japanese desserts, matcha drinks, bubble tea and much more. There are also vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free and gluten-free options available from several vendors.
There will also be sake vendors and an Asahi beer area for adults.
If eating Japanese food is one of your priorities, I recommend eating before or after the traditional lunch rush. JapanFest specifically warns that food lines are much shorter outside peak lunchtime.
Trust me, there is enough going on at JapanFest that standing in a long food line is probably not how you want to spend a big portion of your day.
Shopping: Anime, Japanese Goods and More
If you like shopping, leave some room in your budget.
JapanFest has 100+ vendor booths selling Japanese-inspired products, anime merchandise, fashion, toys, crafts and other goods.
The exhibit hall has dedicated sections for anime vendors, general vendors and handcrafted products, along with Ginza Festival Square.
You’ll even find booths from companies such as Central Japan Railway Company, East Japan Railway Company and the Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau, which I am definitely interested in visiting considering how much we talk about Japan travel here on Japanic Attack.
Ginza Festival Square is another area worth checking out. It includes Japanese festival-style activities such as ring toss, lucky strings, Japanese trinkets, dagashi candy, ramune, fortune telling and shaved ice.
This is probably the part of JapanFest where my wallet gets into trouble.
Hands-On Japanese Cultural Experiences
One of the things that makes JapanFest different from simply attending a shopping or anime event is the opportunity to actually participate in Japanese cultural activities.
The upper level includes experiences involving bonsai, ikebana flower arranging, kimono dressing, Japanese food-replica crafts, calligraphy, tatami crafts and Japanese sake culture, among others.
Some activities require an additional fee or advance registration, and availability can fill up.
If there is a specific experience you really want to do, I would look it up before the festival instead of waiting until you arrive.
JapanFest for Anime and Gundam Fans
JapanFest definitely isn’t an anime convention—but anime and modern Japanese pop culture are a significant part of the event.
There is an entire section of anime vendors along with cosplay, anime merchandise, manga-related products, games and other pop-culture activities.
So if your love of Japan started with anime, manga, Pokémon, Gundam or Gunpla, you will still find plenty to enjoy.
And yes, that is one of the reasons we fit in pretty well here.
Come See Us at JapanFest Atlanta!
This year is particularly exciting for us because we won’t only be attending JapanFest—we’ll be vending for the first time.
After spending months working on products and preparing for the event, we will be bringing a selection of our Gunpla and Japan-inspired merchandise, including apparel, totes, stickers, keychains and other designs inspired by our love of Japan and Japanese pop culture.
If you read Japanic Attack or follow us on social media, please come by and say hello!
Check us out at booth V25 at the Exhibit Hall Gifts area.
We’ll also be sharing parts of our JapanFest experience on our social channels, so follow along if you can’t make it to the event this year.
Our Tips for Visiting JapanFest Atlanta
My biggest recommendation is to plan a little before arriving, but don’t schedule every minute of your day. Download or screenshot the event map and schedule, decide which performances or workshops are must-sees, and then leave enough time to wander through the vendor areas and discover things you weren’t expecting.
Buy tickets and parking early if you can, bring some cash because not every vendor necessarily accepts cards, avoid the busiest lunch period if you don’t want to spend too much time in food lines, and wear comfortable shoes—you will probably do more walking than you expect. JapanFest also has a sensory room available in the Dogwood Room for visitors who may need a quieter space during the event.
Most importantly, enjoy it.
JapanFest is one of those events where you can watch traditional Japanese dance or taiko drumming, shop for anime merchandise, eat ramen, learn about travel to Japan and try a cultural activity—all without leaving Georgia.
Other things you should know:
- A new Bag Policy is implemented at JapanFest – check out the details here
- Face coverings are NOT permitted inside the venue.
- ATMs can be found in three spots in the venue
- JapanFest will have an exclusive AR experience – You could win a 4-DAY MOMOCON 2027 PASSES
- You could win prizes at the JBiG Area or by completing a mobile survey at the entrance
Is JapanFest Atlanta Worth Visiting?
If you love Japan, I think so!
It isn’t the same thing as actually getting on a plane and going to Japan—and you know we will always encourage that around here—but JapanFest gives people in Georgia an opportunity to experience Japanese culture much closer to home.
I particularly like that it doesn’t focus on only one side of Japan. You can experience traditional arts and cultural activities right alongside anime, J-Pop, Japanese businesses, food and modern entertainment.
And this year, we are especially excited to experience it as vendors.
If you’re attending JapanFest Atlanta September 19 or 20, 2026, come say hello. We hope to see you there!
Quick JapanFest Atlanta 2026 Guide
Dates: September 19–20, 2026
Saturday: 10 AM–6 PM
Sunday: 10 AM–5 PM
Location: Gas South Convention Center, Duluth, Georgia
Advance one-day admission: $20.78
Advance two-day admission: $38.13
At the door: $25.20
Children 6 and under: Free
Advance parking: $5 through September 18
Event-day parking: $10
Event schedules, performers and activities are subject to change. Check the official JapanFest Atlanta website before your visit for the latest information.
Love experiencing Japan anywhere – Check out our Japan Outside Japan section.
