An outdoor event, "PEACE DAY 2026 @ Yoyogi Park," coinciding with the United Nations' International Day of Peace, will be held on September 21st at the Yoyogi Park Event Plaza. The event is organized by the certified NPO PEACE DAY.

This organization, whose vision is to "create a peaceful world without conflict," holds an event every year on September 21st, International Day of Peace. This year marks the 8th time the event has been held since its inception in 2019, and last year it was held at the Osaka-Kansai Expo site.

The venue will feature live music performances, talks, workshops, and booths from organizations addressing social issues. In the evening, there will be a "Candle Night" event directed by candle artist CANDLE JUNE.

During the daytime "Message Candle Workshop," visitors will create candles and write their wishes for peace or messages on their surfaces. The completed candles will be lined up around the venue and lit simultaneously after sunset. The event is a collaboration between the Japan Candle Association and Kameyama Candle.

The main stage will feature singer May J., who is celebrating her 20th anniversary this year, as well as the Tarumi Violinists, who have been performing at the UN's "Peace Bell" ceremony for over 20 years, and the Tetra Band & Friends. The festival will also collaborate with "ZERO FES," an entertainment festival produced and featuring teens, and will include appearances by the junior and senior high school instrumental band "Za SAVAGE" and the brother turntablist duo "Kaiharu Bro." The event will be hosted by actor and film director Sahel Rose and journalist Jun Hori.

The booth area will feature 16 organizations working on issues such as refugee support, nuclear disarmament, landmines and child soldiers, conflict minerals, and environmental problems. They will sell coffee, honey, scarves, and other products connected to their communities, as well as host participatory events such as workshops where attendees learn about conflict minerals and child labor by disassembling discarded computers, a program to assess their peace-oriented actions, and a "peace march" where participants carry craft doves bearing messages from attendees.

In conjunction with the event, from September 17th to 23rd, "PEACE DAY WEEK 2026" will be held, featuring film festivals and screenings, as well as related projects by NGOs, NPOs, citizen groups, companies, and government agencies from all over Japan.

11:00 AM to 8:00 PM (booths open until 6:00 PM). Free admission.

Venue