Your guide to Japan Week 2025: 11 days of food, culture, and crafts in Montreal

For 11 days this May, Japan takes over Montreal—not with fanfare or fireworks, but through ramen steam, saké pours, and kimono silk: Japan Week 2025 runs from May 1 to 11 and has been shaped up to be so much more than a celebration. It’s a city-wide invitation to discover how Japanese culture has woven itself into Montreal’s restaurants, shops, and everyday rituals.

Now in its fifth edition—and stretching from 7 to 11 days for the first time—the event pulls together over 40 participating businesses, from izakayas and manga lounges to matcha bars and craft shops. Add in cultural workshops, a Chibi Japanese Market, and the city’s biggest Shiba and Akita dog gathering, and you’ve got a festival that feels intimate but expansive, rooted in community but open to all.