Sat, Nov 7 – Sun, Nov 8
Wasedasai 早稲田祭
Waseda University
Two days, two campuses, close to 200,000 people: Wasedasai is the loudest, busiest festival in the country. Arrive at opening, eat before noon, and leave time to see the Haruki Murakami Library building on the way out.
✅ Open to everyone🚶 No reservation💴 Bring cash
Key facts
- Dates
- Sat, Nov 7 – Sun, Nov 8
- Hours
- TBC
- Where
- Waseda Campus & Toyama Campus
Open in Google Maps ↗ - Nearest station
- Waseda Station (Tokyo Metro Tozai Line), 5 min
- Entry
- Free
- Reservation
- Not needed
- Payment
- Bring cash: most stalls don't take cards
- English
- Mostly Japanese (Google Lens helps)
- Official site
- Visit official site ↗
Last updated: Sep 15, 2026
What it is
- One of Japan's largest university festivals: close to 200,000 visitors over two days.
- Haruki Murakami's university; the Murakami Library is on campus.
- Hundreds of student events across two campuses.
Highlights
- Saturday and Sunday: arrive at opening to beat the crowds.
- A few stage events may need advance tickets.
Best time to go
General tips that apply to most Tokyo university festivals.
- Right at opening, usually 10:00: stalls are ready and lines are short.
- On multi-day festivals, weekdays are the quietest days.
- Saturday early afternoon is the busiest time almost everywhere.
- Eat before 11:30 or after 13:30 to skip the lunch rush.
Suggested plan
- 10:00 Pick up a map at the gate. Do the popular indoor events (exhibitions, workshops, cafes) before the lines grow.
- 11:30 Lunch from the food stalls, ahead of the noon rush.
- 13:00 Watch bands, dance and theatre on the outdoor stages.
- 15:00 Walk the campus sights, then sort your trash at an eco-station on the way out.
Rules at the festival
- Ask before photographing students up close.
- No photos where signs say so.
- Sort trash at the eco-stations: burnable, plastic, cans, PET bottles.
- Don't bring your own alcohol. Many festivals ban it; where it is sold, buy only from the official stalls.
- No smoking and no drones on campus.
- Only enter rooms that are part of the festival.
Point-and-show phrases
No Japanese needed. Show this screen to a student at the stall.
| これください | This one, please Kore kudasai |
| いくらですか？ | How much is it? Ikura desu ka? |
| 写真を撮ってもいいですか？ | May I take a photo? Shashin o totte mo ii desu ka? |
| カードは使えますか？ | Can I pay by card? Kaado wa tsukaemasu ka? |
| ゴミ箱はどこですか？ | Where is the trash bin? Gomibako wa doko desu ka? |
| 入口はどこですか？ | Where is the entrance? Iriguchi wa doko desu ka? |
| トイレはどこですか？ | Where is the restroom? Toire wa doko desu ka? |
| おいしい！ | Delicious! Oishii! |
| ありがとうございます | Thank you Arigatou gozaimasu |
Cash & ATMs
Most 7-Eleven stores have ATMs that accept foreign cards, and many are open 24 hours.
The story of this campus
Haruki Murakami's alma mater and home of Japan's biggest university festival.
Stay & tours
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