MEDIA PREVIEW - A Limited-Time Japanese Cultural Takeover Is Coming to Queen St. West

TORONTO, March 12, 2026 /CNW/ - Today, The Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), Consulate-General of Japan in Toronto, and the Japan Foundation are transforming Queen St West into a vibrant celebration of Japanese culture for a special media preview of Next Stop Japan Marketplace.

Open to the public this weekend and next, visitors can step inside a world of Sakura (cherry blossoms), a cherished symbol of spring in Japan that also holds special meaning in Canada, dating back to 1959 when Tokyo gifted Toronto 2,000 cherry trees as a symbol of friendship.

Visitors can also expect to see masterful knife demonstrations, Japanese tea ceremonies, piano performances, kimono dressing, traditional wagashi dessert making, and more designed to transport them straight to Japan.

Surrounding it all: a curated marketplace of anime, artisanal crafts, homeware, specialty confectionery, authentic Japanese green tea, and coveted brands rarely found outside of Japan.

Here for a limited time, it's an immersive, vibrant, transportive celebration designed to give Toronto a true taste of Japan!

INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES:

• Consulate-General of Japan: Consul Tomohiro Ota and Vice Consul Takanori Hikiji
• Japan External Trade Organization, JETRO, Toronto: Yuichi Hatano, Executive Director
• Japan Foundation, Toronto: Mariko Abe, Director

WHERE: Welcome Market, 938 Queen St W., Toronto, ON

MEDIA PREVIEW: March 12, 2026, 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM

PUBLIC EVENT: March 13–15 & March 20–22, 2026:
Fri, March 13: 12 PM – 8 PM
Sat–Sun, March 14–15: 11 AM – 8 PM
Fri, March 20: 12 PM – 8 PM
Sat–Sun, March 21–22: 11 AM – 8 PM

SOURCE The Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO)

MEDIA CONTACT: Evangeline PR, Sandy Caetano, [email protected] 416-500-1135