The Ikebukuro Halloween Cosplay Festival Executive Committee, comprised of Dwango Co., Ltd., Animate Co., Ltd., Hakosta Co., Ltd., Sunshine City Co., Ltd., and Toshima Ward, will hold the large-scale Halloween event for cosplayers, "Ikebukuro Halloween Cosplay Festival 2026," for three days from Friday, October 30th to Sunday, November 1st, 2026. This will be the first time in five years that Halloween day (October 31st) will be included in the event period.
The "Ikebukuro Halloween Cosplay Festival (commonly known as IkeHallow)" is one of Japan's largest Halloween cosplay events, held primarily in the Ikebukuro East Exit area of Toshima Ward since 2014. Last year, 161,000 people attended over three days.
This year, we will once again be offering a variety of events where you can experience the charm of cosplay culture. As a regular feature, the main stage at Naka-Ikebukuro Park will host "Nico Nico Cosplay Collection," where you can walk the runway in your proud cosplay, and "Halloween for Parents and Children." On Ikebukuro's main street, a pedestrian priority road will be temporarily set up for the "IkeHallow Cosplay Parade," in which approximately 400 cosplayers will parade through the streets. On the first day of the event, October 30th (Friday), it will be held as "IkeHallow Night" (16:30-22:30), a night event where you can enjoy taking photos that take advantage of the night view, and on October 31st (Saturday) and November 1st (Sunday), it will be held all day.
On Saturday, October 31st, Enako, a cosplayer active both domestically and internationally, will be making her first appearance as a special guest in seven years. In addition, this year's event key visual features Enako herself as Haruhi Suzumiya, a character from "The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya," the first work she ever cosplayed and which she considers her "origin."
Further details and additional information regarding each event will be announced at a later date. Tickets will go on sale from Friday, September 4, 2026.
*Participation in "Ike Halloween Night" is restricted to those 18 years of age and older (high school students are not permitted to enter).
■Click here for the official website of "Ikebukuro Halloween Cosplay Festival" → https://ikebukurocosplay.jp/
<Enako's comment>
I had the opportunity to participate in creating the key visual for IkeHallow 2026!
I hope the poster is something that makes people excited and happy!
I'll be appearing as a special guest on the day of the event, so let's have fun together!
■Profile:
A cosplayer who also serves as a Cool Japan public relations ambassador for the Cabinet Office and is active both domestically and internationally. Currently, she is active not only in cosplay but also in a wide range of fields including TV, magazines, voice acting, and singing. Her official X account has 2.48 million followers, and her Instagram account has 2.51 million followers.
<Comment from Toshima Ward Mayor Miyuki Takagi>
The "Ikebukuro Halloween Cosplay Festival" is celebrating its 13th year this year. Last year, despite the rain, we had over 160,000 visitors.
At this event, I strongly felt the shared commitment of both those who love cosplay and those who support it, to recognizing cosplay as a culture, and to protecting and further developing it. Furthermore, the participants' genuine enjoyment of the event and their desire for it to continue in the future led to excellent manners, which, as mayor, I find incredibly proud.
In Toshima Ward, a city renowned for its manga and anime culture, we are able to collaborate with various companies to deliver this festival of cosplay, one of Japan's most representative cultural forms, to all participants, and we will do our utmost to create a safe and enjoyable environment for everyone.
I'll be in cosplay too, waiting for you all!
<Scenes from last year's "Ikebukuro Halloween Cosplay Festival 2025">
The venue
Main Stage
parade
Event Overview
Ikebukuro Halloween Cosplay Festival 2026 Powered by dwango
Date and Time: October 30th (Fri) – November 1st (Sun), 2026
└October 30th (Fri) 16:30 – 22:30 (Ikebukuro Halloween Night)
*Participation in "Ike Halloween Night" is restricted to those 18 years of age and older (high school students are not permitted to enter).
└Saturday, October 31st and Sunday, November 1st, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM on both days
Venue: Ikebukuro area
Organizers: Ikebukuro Halloween Cosplay Festival Executive Committee (Dwango Co., Ltd. / Animate Co., Ltd. / Hakosta Co., Ltd. / Sunshine City Co., Ltd. / Toshima Ward)
Official website: https://ikebukurocosplay.jp/
English version : https://ikebukurocosplay.jp/en/
Official X: https://x.com/niconico_cos
[From the press release by Dwango Co., Ltd. Public Relations Department]
<Related articles from the past>
Ikebukuro Halloween Cosplay Festival 2025, Japan's largest cosplay event with over 160,000 attendees, is scheduled to take place over three days from October 24th to 26th.
