The OC Japan Fair returns to the OC Fair & Event Center next weekend for its 19th annual run, bringing over 250 vendors, live taiko drumming, and a cosplay competition to the fairgrounds. The three-day festival runs from Friday, October 16 through Sunday, October 18, with hours stretching from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on opening night, noon to 10 p.m. on Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday.
Ahead of the event, CBS News Los Angeles featured a segment about what to expect at the fair. The segment offered a glimpse of the cultural programming that has made the festival a staple on the Orange County calendar since it first launched in 2009.
That first edition was a single-day gathering organized by Huntington Beach event coordinator Masataka Taguchi, according to the Los Angeles Times. It has since grown into a multi-day, twice-yearly event organized by Adentope, Inc., built around showcasing Japanese cuisine, cultural traditions, music, and technology to Southern California audiences.
A Festival Built for Crowds Who Aren't Japanese
A report from Japan Product Promotion says roughly 90% of attendees identify as non-Japanese residents coming to experience the culture firsthand. The prior April event welcomed about 46,000 visitors, while more than 50,000 were expected at the 2025 event.
That popularity lines up with Orange County's demographics. U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey data compiled in 2025 shows Orange County is home to an estimated 57,152 Japanese residents, representing 1.8% of the county's population, according to Neilsberg. That share exceeds both California's statewide average of 1.2% and the national average of 0.49%, with Irvine holding the highest concentration of Japanese residents in the county at over 11,000.
Food, Cosplay, and a Live Tuna Cutting
This fall's event hosts more than 250 total vendors, including over 60 Japanese food vendors serving ramen, yakitori, takoyaki, sushi, taiyaki, and shaved ice, according to DoLA.
Featured attractions for the October lineup include a live tuna-cutting demonstration, taiko drumming, J-POP music performances, a cosplay competition, and a Kimono model show, per the OC Fair & Event Center. Entertainment will take place across two dedicated stages throughout the weekend, giving attendees multiple chances to catch performances between vendor stops.
Tickets, Parking, and Getting There
General admission prices were tiered by purchase date, starting at $11.44 in August and climbing to $13.58 in September, then $15.71 through October 15, before reaching $17.85 starting October 16, according to the OC Japan Fair's own ticketing page. Admission is free for children 6 and under and adults over 65, though on-site parking carries a separate $15 fee.
Gate 1 is listed for parking, with event locations including Lot I, the Main Mall, the OC Promenade, and the Anaheim and Los Alamitos buildings. Traffic and gate assignments can shift based on fairground operations during peak hours, so arriving early is advised.
Well-behaved dogs on leashes are welcome across the outdoor concourses, provided owners keep control of their pets and clean up after them. The fall edition continues the festival's twice-yearly schedule.
