If dressing as an alien and parading through the streets of Japan sounds like your kind of travel experience, Fukushima has an event for you. The UFO Festival takes place in late October in Iino-machi, an area of Fukushima City known as a home of UFO lore.

The festival’s main attraction is its Alien Costume Parade and Contest, with around 2,000 people expected to fill the streets in extraterrestrial costumes. Anyone can join, making this an unusual way for international visitors to get involved in a local Japanese festival. Participation is free, and you can take part in the parade without entering the contest.

The parade begins at 11:00am and runs for around 45 minutes, followed by the contest judging. Finalists will be asked to perform a UFO-summoning act on stage, with prizes awarded for categories including the UFO Grand Prize, which comes with 50,000 yen in prize money. Other prizes include local rice, festival merchandise, and a 10,000-yen special prize.

There’s plenty happening beyond the alien antics, too. The program includes taiko drumming, a high school dance performance, comedy, and a talk exploring the possibility of a UFO attack, led by Takeharu Mikami, director of the International Institute for Research on Unidentified Flying Objects. Visitors can also sample local food and drinks, including the appropriately themed UFO gyoza.

• Location: Iino-machi Shopping Street, Fukushima City

• Date: Oct. 31, Saturday, 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

• Cost: Free

• Website

Getting there

JR Fukushima Station is served by various lines, including the Tohoku Shinkansen and the Ou Main Line. A free shuttle bus will run from JR Fukushima Station, taking approximately 25 minutes to reach the venue.