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Everything I Saw at HYPER JAPAN Festival 2026 (London)
It’s official: HYPER JAPAN is back for 2026, and this year’s edition at Olympia London was bigger, busier, and more chaotic (in the best way) than ever. Whether you’re a lifelong anime fan, a gaming nerd, or just someone who loves an excuse to eat your body weight in Japanese street food, this year’s festival had something for everyone.
Here’s my full round-up of what to expect if you’re heading to HYPER JAPAN next year — from the stalls, to the freebies, to the food that had me queuing twice.
What Is HYPER JAPAN Festival?
HYPER JAPAN is the UK’s biggest Japanese culture event, bringing together food, gaming, fashion, anime, and traditional craft under one roof at Olympia London. It’s grown massively over the years, and the 2026 edition leaned hard into gaming and pop culture collabs alongside the usual market stalls and food vendors.
Studio Ghibli Vibes at Maison Ghibli
One of the standout stalls this year was Maison Ghibli, a dedicated corner selling beautifully curated Studio Ghibli merchandise. If you’re a Ghibli fan, this is exactly the kind of stall that makes the entry ticket worth it on its own — think homeware, plushies, and collectables that you won’t easily find on the high street.
Sailor Moon Fans, Meet Raven Rider
If you were around the main hall, you couldn’t miss Raven Rider’s custom Sailor Moon-themed motorbike. It was parked up as a photo opportunity all weekend, and it’s exactly the kind of unexpected crossover that makes HYPER JAPAN worth wandering around slowly rather than rushing through.
Free DAN DA DAN Turbo Granny Balloons
For anyone into this season’s biggest anime moments, there were free DAN DA DAN Turbo Granny balloons being handed out — a fun, easy freebie and a nice nod to how quickly the show has become a festival mainstay.
Pikmin’s Exclusive HYPER JAPAN Walking Event
Nintendo brought an exclusive Pikmin walking event to the festival this year, tying into Pikmin Bloom. It was a genuinely clever activation — encouraging festival-goers to walk the halls (and probably queue for food) while collecting in-app rewards tied specifically to HYPER JAPAN.
Try Nintendo’s New Mobile Game: Pictonic
HYPER JAPAN attendees also got early access to a free game pack for Pictonic, Nintendo’s new mobile app game. If you love picking up new mobile titles before everyone else, this was one of the more low-key exciting freebies of the weekend.
Gaming Corner: Ninjala 2 on Switch 2
Gaming fans (myself included) got hands-on time with Ninjala 2, ahead of its release on Nintendo Switch 2. It’s shaping up to be a strong follow-up to the original, and getting to try it before launch was a definite highlight.
Learning Japanese Calligraphy
Away from the gaming stalls, I took some time out to try Japanese calligraphy with @_wa_culture, one of the workshop hosts at the festival. It’s a lovely, calming contrast to the noise and energy of the main hall, and a great way to actually engage with Japanese culture rather than just shop.
Food, Glorious Food
HYPER JAPAN’s food offering keeps getting stronger every year, and 2026 was no exception:
- Sushi tacos from Kofuku — genuinely one of the best food mash-ups I’ve tried at the festival
- Drinks and bites from Buy & Bite — their omurice and drinks menu is a reliable pit stop
- Snacks from Uni Snacks UK — perfect for grazing your way around the stalls
Pokémon Cards and Freebies
No HYPER JAPAN trip is complete without a stop for Pokémon cards, and this year I picked up a fresh batch from Okyo Toys UK. I also came away with a genuinely great freebie haul, including goodies from Bandai, Tamagotchi, Nintendo UK, and Ito En.
Is HYPER JAPAN Worth Visiting?
If you’re into anime, gaming, Japanese food, or J-culture more broadly, HYPER JAPAN Festival is well worth a visit — just go in with a plan, because there’s genuinely too much to see in one pass. Between the collabs, the food stalls, and the freebies, it’s easy to spend an entire day there without realising it.
Have you been to HYPER JAPAN before? Let me know your favourite stall in the comments — and if you’re planning your first Japan trip, this is a great place to start collecting ideas.
For future editions, keep an eye on hyperjapan.co.uk — they run the Festival annually (usually summer), plus the occasional spin-off event in cities like Manchester. Signing up to their newsletter via the site is the easiest way to get first dibs on tickets and announcements.
Disclaimer: I was invited to attend as a press. As always, this review reflects my honest, independent opinion.
