Last year at SusHI Tech Tokyo 2025, I walked about 20 kilometres across two days, exchanged over 30 business cards, and sat through sessions ranging from AI infrastructure to DEI strategy. Most of that happened inside Big Sight. What I missed was everything happening outside it.

This year, I am not making that mistake.

SusHI Tech Tokyo 2026 runs April 27 to 29 at Tokyo Big Sight, and Kafkai will be exhibiting there as an official ambassador. But the conference is really just the anchor. Around it, Tokyo has a whole constellation of partner events (film screenings, music festivals, rooftop walks, networking nights) that turn the week into something much bigger than a three-day expo.

I went through the full list and picked out the ones that stood out to me. If you are coming to Tokyo for SusHI Tech, or if you are already here and looking for a reason to get out, these are worth your time.

AI Film Festival Japan

This one caught my attention immediately. The AI Film Festival Japan is screening award-winning films created with AI, alongside talk sessions with the creators behind them. If you are curious about how generative AI is changing creative work (not just text and code, but actual filmmaking), this is a rare chance to see it firsthand.

The practical detail: if you purchase a SusHI Tech Tokyo 2026 ticket by April 17, you get a coupon code to attend for free.

  • Date: Sunday, April 26
  • Venue: Tokyo Innovation Base (TIB)
  • Details and registration: Luma event page

Tokyo Innovation NIGHTs

Tokyo Innovation NIGHTs is an evening networking event at TIB, specifically designed to bring together SusHI Tech participants from around the world. The theme is "EDO x TOKYO FUSION," which means modern takes on traditional Japanese arts, live J-pop performances, and (this is the part that matters) world-famous Japanese food.

There is a free 25-minute shuttle running between Tokyo Big Sight and TIB, so you do not need to figure out the logistics yourself.

Roof Park Fes and Walk 2026

This is the one that sounds the most unlike a tech conference side event, which is exactly why it is interesting.

The Roof Park Fes and Walk 2026 lets you walk along a former expressway from Kyobashi to Shimbashi. That route cuts through the heart of Tokyo, and the event fills it with urban sports, mobility test rides, food trucks, and activities for kids. It is a chance to experience the city's evolution from a perspective that most people never get.

  • Date: Sunday, April 26, 9:30 to 17:00 (last entry at 15:00)
  • Venue: KK Line upper space (Kyobashi to Ginza to Shimbashi)
  • Tickets: The free SusHI Tech allocations are already full. Purchase tickets through the official website.

La Folle Journée Tokyo 2026 x SusHI Tech Tokyo

Classical music and a tech conference. On paper, it sounds like an odd pairing. In practice, La Folle Journée is one of the world's largest classical music festivals, and this year it is partnering with SusHI Tech.

There are two parts to this:

  1. A saxophone quartet performing popular Japanese hits at SusHI Tech itself. This happens on Monday, April 27, from 9:50 to 10:20 at the Atrium Stage in Tokyo Big Sight. It is before the floor gets crowded, and it is a good way to start the day if you are there early.

  2. The full La Folle Journée Tokyo 2026 festival. This runs May 3 to 5 across Tokyo International Forum, Otemachi, Marunouchi, Yurakucho, and TIB (on May 5). Details are on the official La Folle Journée website.

The Unofficial SusHI Tech Tokyo 2026 Kafkai Meetup

Now for the one I am personally most excited about.

We are organising a meetup and drinks after the second day of SusHI Tech. The idea is simple: get people together in a relaxed setting to talk about tech, discuss AI, and connect with others who are in town for the conference. You do not have to attend SusHI Tech to come.

  • Date: April 28, 19:30
  • Location: Somewhere near Shinbashi (details on the registration page)
  • Space is limited

If you are around, I would be happy to have you with us. Reserve your space here.

Make the Most of the Week

SusHI Tech Tokyo has many more partner events beyond the ones I have listed here. Browse the full list and put together your own schedule.

If you have not got your ticket yet, we have an exclusive ambassador discount that you can use. And if you are at the exhibition, come find us at our booth. We will be showing Kafkai's content intelligence platform, Market Intelligence reports, and KaiMail.

Tokyo during SusHI Tech week is not just a conference. It is the whole city, doing its thing. Do not stay inside Big Sight the entire time. I learned that lesson last year.

The images included in this post contains images from the official SusHI Tech social media accounts