Thai pop and dramas draw huge crowds to Tokyo culture festival
The 26th Thai Festival Tokyo packed Yoyogi Park as T-pop, dramas and artist-fan closeness deepened Japanese interest in Thai culture.
- The Thai Festival Tokyo 2026 in Yoyogi Park drew huge crowds, with the area near the performance stage becoming so congested that organizers had to temporarily restrict entry.
- T-pop music and appearances by popular Thai actors, such as the duo "Tay-New," were the festival's main attractions, drawing fans from across Japan.
- Many attendees reported that their interest in Thai entertainment, particularly "boy's love dramas," served as a gateway to a broader appreciation of the country's culture.
- The appeal of Thai stars was enhanced by their direct engagement with the audience, including greeting fans and performing songs with lyrics in Japanese.
Tokyo’s Yoyogi Park was filled with visitors over the weekend as Thai Festival Tokyo 2026, one of Japan’s biggest Thai cultural exchange events, was held in sunny weather amid rising Japanese interest in Thai culture, from food and products to modern entertainment.
The festival, which has drawn about 300,000 people in recent years, featured performances by well-known Thai singers and actors, with Thai pop music, or T-pop, among the main attractions.
Crowds packed the area near the stage so tightly that organisers temporarily restricted entry because of congestion. Thai artists and actors introduced themselves and greeted fans in Japanese before performing songs, some of which included Japanese lyrics. The venue grew livelier as performers and audience members exchanged call-and-response moments.
“I came to see a performance by Tay-New,” said a woman in her 50s from Osaka Prefecture, referring to the popular actor pairing Tay Tawan Vihokratana and New Thitipoom Techaapaikhun. She had also joined a related event the day before and said one major appeal of Thai entertainment is the close connection fans can feel with artists.
Vorapong Vadhanasindhu, a counsellor at the Thai Embassy in Tokyo, said Japanese interest in Thai culture now extends beyond food to local products, services and newer entertainment, including T-pop and Thai dramas.
With the 140th anniversary of Japan-Thailand diplomatic relations approaching next year, Vorapong said the festival reflects the close ties between Tokyo and Bangkok, while expressing hope that bilateral relations will continue to develop.
Several Japanese visitors said Thai entertainment had opened the door to a broader interest in the country’s culture. A female company employee in her 40s, also from Osaka Prefecture, said she plans to visit Thailand soon but is concerned about widespread flight cuts and cancellations, along with higher fares, caused by soaring jet fuel prices amid the conflict in the Middle East.
A male teacher in his 20s from Ibaraki Prefecture, east of Tokyo, said he came to the festival because “it’s much closer than Thailand.” He said he became interested in Thai artists after watching Thai boy’s love dramas.
Japanese travel to Thailand has been recovering from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, but recent global conditions have changed the travel environment. That appears to have added to the appeal of the festival, which lets visitors experience Thai culture without leaving Japan.
This year’s event marked the 26th edition of the annual festival, jointly organised by the Thai Embassy and Japanese companies. After Tokyo, similar Thai-related festivals are planned later this month in major Japanese cities, including Osaka, Fukuoka and Nagoya.
Yurina Osaki
[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
