The opening event of Tokyo Creative Salon 2026 was held on March 13 at Akasaka Prince Classic House, marking the start of one of Japan’s largest creative festivals and launching a 10-day program of fashion, design, and cultural initiatives across the Japanese capital.
Organized by the Tokyo Creative Salon Executive Committee, the festival runs from March 13 to March 22 and unfolds across nine districts—Akasaka, Ginza, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Nihonbashi, Haneda, Harajuku, Marunouchi and Roppongi—turning the city itself into a platform for exhibitions, talks, installations, and public programs. The initiative aims to highlight Tokyo’s creative industries while encouraging visitors to explore the city through its cultural and design landscapes.
The 2026 edition is held under the theme “Future Vintage — Carrying the Past into the Future through New Creation.” The concept reflects an approach that reinterprets historical culture, craftsmanship, and urban memory through contemporary perspectives and technology, positioning the city’s accumulated creative heritage as a source for new expression.
The opening ceremony brought together key figures behind the project, including executive committee chair Hiroshi Onishi and general director Hiroshi Sugiyama, who outlined the festival’s direction and the role of creativity in shaping Tokyo’s identity. Sugiyama emphasized that the past should not only be viewed nostalgically but also serve as a resource for generating new ideas and forms of expression.
Actor Tsubasa Honda appeared as a guest speaker for a talk session reflecting on the theme and the evolving cultural character of Tokyo. Honda noted that the relationship between vintage and future creativity forms a continuous cycle, describing how cultural elements from the past can become the foundation for new creative work that may eventually become the next generation’s “vintage.” She also remarked on Tokyo’s capacity to continually reinvent itself through new ideas and initiatives.
Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike delivered a video message during the event, highlighting the festival’s growth since its launch and its role in promoting the capital’s creative strengths internationally. She emphasized the importance of showcasing the individuality of different districts while presenting Tokyo as a unified global center for fashion and creative industries.
Programs throughout the festival range from fashion and design installations to craft exhibitions and digital art projects, many integrated into the urban environment. By spreading activities across multiple neighborhoods, organizers aim to encourage visitors to move between districts and encounter creative work embedded in everyday city spaces.
With free admission to many events and a broad mix of disciplines, Tokyo Creative Salon continues to position itself as a platform connecting the city’s fashion, art, and design communities while presenting Tokyo’s evolving creative identity to a global audience.
For full program details and schedules, visitors can access the official festival resources:
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