The short version: who, what, where, when
Pirates of Tokyo Bay is Tokyo's English and Japanese improv comedy group, performing live at What the Dickens! pub in Ebisu since 2010. On Sunday, September 20th, 2026, we are leaving our home stage for one night and heading to Shibuya to perform at the Tokyo International Comedy Festival, Japan's biggest English and Japanese comedy festival, hosted at Tokyo Comedy Bar. The festival runs from September 17th to 27th, 2026, with dozens of shows across the city. Our set is completely unscripted comedy built from audience suggestions: no script, no rehearsal, no safety net. (Show time and ticket details are in the listing below.)
We're back at Tokyo's biggest comedy festival
For the third year running, the Pirates are part of the Tokyo International Comedy Festival, the 11-day celebration of comedy that takes over Shibuya and venues across the city every September. The festival pulls together local favorites and international touring comedians for stand-up, roast battles, live podcast recordings, and, in our corner of it, live improv.
Our show happens at Tokyo Comedy Bar, the city's dedicated stand-up venue and the festival's home base, about a minute's walk from Shibuya Station. It is a different room from our usual Ebisu pub, with a different energy: a packed comedy crowd, a proper stage, and the buzz of a festival in full swing.
Last year, we sold out
When we played the festival in 2025, our show sold out. The room was a mix of Tokyo locals, festival regulars, and travelers who had no idea what English and Japanese improv even was until the lights went down. By the end, everyone was in on it. We expect this one to fill up fast too, so if you want a seat, do not leave it until the week of the show.
What actually happens on stage
Here is the thing about our show: nothing is planned. A host asks the audience for a suggestion, a word, a place, a job, an emotion, and the cast builds an entire scene out of it on the spot. Some scenes are in English. Some are in Japanese. Some are in languages that do not technically exist.
You do not need to speak both languages to enjoy it. You do not need to speak either one, frankly. A lot of what we do is physical comedy, pantomime, and gibberish, the kind of comedy that lands no matter what language you think in. If you only speak English, you will laugh. If you only speak Japanese, you will laugh. That is the whole point.
Show details
Date: Sunday, September 20th, 2026
Festival: Tokyo International Comedy Festival 2026 (September 17th to 27th)
Venue: Tokyo Comedy Bar, Renga Bldg 3F, 1-5-9 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0043
Access: About a 1-minute walk from Shibuya Station
Show time: 19:00 to 21:00
Tickets: ¥2,500, available online and at the door
👉 Get tickets: https://fienta.com/ticf-pirates-of-tokyo-bay
👉 Full Festival tickets & schedule: https://www.tokyocomedybar.com/ticf
👉 Our full show schedule: https://www.piratesoftokyobay.com/schedule
Can't make the 20th? Catch us every month in Ebisu
The festival is one night, but we are on stage every month. Our regular show runs at What the Dickens! pub in Ebisu, just one stop from Shibuya, with tickets at ¥2,500 including your 1st drink free. Same unscripted comedy, same English and Japanese mix, in a cozy British pub instead of a festival room.
👉 Tickets for our monthly show: https://www.piratesoftokyobay.com/shows
Want to know what improv comedy even is before you come? Read our explainer: What Is Improv Comedy? (And How Is It Different from Stand-Up?)
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We perform on Sunday, September 20th, 2026 from 19:00 to 21:00 at Tokyo Comedy Bar in Shibuya, about a 1-minute walk from Shibuya Station. It is part of the Tokyo International Comedy Festival, which runs from September 17th to 27th, 2026. Tickets are ¥2,500, available online and at the door.
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The festival show is a one-night appearance at Tokyo Comedy Bar in Shibuya, performed as part of the citywide Tokyo International Comedy Festival. Our regular monthly show is at What the Dickens! pub in Ebisu and includes a free first drink with the ¥2,500 ticket. The comedy is the same unscripted English and Japanese improv either way, but the festival show has a bigger comedy-crowd energy and a different venue.
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Yes. Our 2025 Tokyo International Comedy Festival show sold out. Because festival shows fill up quickly, we recommend booking early rather than waiting until the week of the performance.