Nagoya’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade and After Party

It is late March in Nagoya, a time that sits in the narrow space between winter and spring. The wind moving through the covered arcades of Ōsu still has some bite, though jackets are becoming lighter. By early afternoon on Saturday, March 21, 2026, green hats, scarves, and face paint have started appearing around the giant Maneki-neko statue – the plaza known as The Cat.

Nagoya’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade begins at 12:00 at Maneki-neko Square (まねきねこ広場) inside the Ōsu Kannon shopping district. Irish music and dance set the mood as people assemble. Volunteers hand out banners, and someone inevitably dresses as St. Patrick, crozier in hand. The crowd includes Irish expats, local families, musicians, dancers, and Nagoyans who simply decided to wear green for the afternoon.

Participants adjust costumes, pin shamrocks onto jackets, and search bags for green scarves. Coffee drifts out of nearby cafés. The arcade fills with fiddles warming up and the low drone of pipes.

The parade sets off at 14:30. From The Cat, the procession winds slowly through the covered shopping streets. Banner carriers, musicians, dancers, community groups, and those celebrating the saint himself move along the route. The narrow arcade creates an intimate atmosphere, with shoppers pausing and store owners watching.

Irish flags, handmade signs, and children with green face paint are visible. The route eventually opens onto the temple grounds, where the arcade gives way to the blue sky and the vermilion of Ōsu Kannon. The procession slows, and people mingle. Connections are renewed, and children run freely.

After the Parade: A Night of Music and Laughter

The festivities move to Kanayama, a neighborhood known for its station interchange and izakaya. The venue, Brazil Coffee, is a few minutes’ walk from Kanayama Station. Established in the early 1970s, it’s a kissaten (old-school coffee shop) by day and an intimate live venue by night.

On March 21st, the lineup features Irish folk, British mod and blues, and Korean garage rock. While coffee is still available, most attendees enjoy other beverages.

The Lineup

• Roast Pork: This Irish music band has been playing in Nagoya since 2004, originally as the house band at Bumphy’s, an Irish pub in Ikeshita.
• The Absolude, feat. Bryn Barklam: The Absolude has been performing on the Japanese mod circuit since 2003. They are joined by Bryn Barklam, who played Hammond organ in the London acid jazz scene in the 1990s.
• Cha Cha (Cha Seung-woo / 차승우): A Korean garage-rock artist, Cha Cha is also known for his role in the Korean rock film Go Go 70s.
• Brian Cullen: An Irish folk musician who regularly performs at bars and community events in Nagoya.
• Banna Beag: Nagoya’s Irish music circle, organizers of regular sessions in parks and pubs.

The Details

Nagoya St. Patrick’s Day Parade

• Date: Sat, Mar. 21, 2026
• Opening ceremony: 12:00
• Parade start: 14:30
• Location: Ōsu Kannon Shopping Arcade
• Gathering point: Maneki-neko Square (まねきねこ広場)

Access

• Ōsu Kannon Station (Tsurumai Line – T01): Exit 2, walk south along Ōsu Kannon-dori for about 2 minutes.
• Kamimaezu Station (Meijo Line – M03 / Tsurumai Line – T09): Exit 8, walk west along Ōsu Shopping Street for about 5 minutes.

The After Party

Nagoya Saint Patrick’s Day Double Header

• Start: 19:00
• Ticket: ¥3,000 (includes one drink)
• Brazil Coffee
  Kanayama Cosmo Building 1F, 4-6-22 Kanayama
  Naka-ku, Nagoya
  Tel: (052) 321-5223

Access

• Kanayama Station (Subway Meijo Line – M01 / Subway Meiko Line – E01 / JR Chūō Line / Meitetsu Nagoya Line): North Exit (地下鉄北口), walk north about 3–4 minutes.
• From Kamimaezu Station (Meijo Line – M03), take the clockwise Meijo Line to Kanayama (M01). About 7 minutes, 3 stops.
• From Ōsu Kannon Station (Tsurumai Line – T01), take the Tsurumai Line toward Fushimi, change at Kamimaezu (T09) to the Meijo Line, continue to Kanayama (M01).