Live English Comedy in Kyoto

DISCOVER JAPAN THROUGH STAND-UP COMEDY

Kyoto’s Premier English & Bilingual Stand-Up Experience | Ki Bar, Pontocho

Located in historic Pontocho, right next to Gion and Kawaramachi, Kyoto Comedy is the top English stand-up comedy experience in Kansai.

FREE ENTRY—PAY WHAT YOU FEEL

EVERY FRIDAY & SATURDAY Showtime: 20:00 (Doors open 19:00) Plus special shows, workshops & events.

CENTRAL KYOTO At Ki Bar · Pontocho

VIEW DIRECTIONS

Don’t Miss These

FEATURED SPECIAL SHOWS

SPECIAL OPEN MIC & 45-MIN SOLO SPECIAL: PETER SIDELL — 'THE LAMBORGHINI JOKE' — special English comedy show at Ki Bar in Pontocho, Kyoto

Special Event

FRI 6 NOV · 20:00

SPECIAL OPEN MIC & 45-MIN SOLO SPECIAL: PETER SIDELL — 'THE LAMBORGHINI JOKE'

Peter Sidell brings to Kyoto 'The Lamborghini Joke', a sharp, oddball, donation-based stand-up show about capitalism, culture, and modern life. Armed with acerbic wit and leftfield humor, Peter takes aim at the absurdities of modern society in a casual work-in-progress show built around one seemingly simple joke about a Lamborghini. Tokyo Comedy Bar veteran and Edinburgh Fringe alumnus.

FREE ENTRY — PAY WHAT YOU FEEL (1 Drink Minimum Required)

TOKYO COMEDY BAR ON TOUR IN OSAKA — RICHAAADO & EVANS MUSOKA — special English comedy show at Absynthe Underground in Pontocho, Kyoto

Ticketed Show

FRI 6 NOV · 20:00

TOKYO COMEDY BAR ON TOUR IN OSAKA — RICHAAADO & EVANS MUSOKA

Tokyo Comedy Bar and Kyoto Comedy Club kick off the 3-city Kansai tour in Osaka. Double headliners Richaado (UK) and Evans Musoka (Kenya) take over Absynthe Underground for one night of live English stand-up comedy.

SPECIAL TICKETED EVENT

BUY TICKETS FOR OSAKA (Fienta)

TOKYO COMEDY BAR ON TOUR IN KYOTO — RICHAAADO & EVANS MUSOKA — special English comedy show at Ki Bar in Pontocho, Kyoto

Ticketed Show

SAT 7 NOV · 20:00

TOKYO COMEDY BAR ON TOUR IN KYOTO — RICHAAADO & EVANS MUSOKA

Tokyo Comedy Bar and Kyoto Comedy Club bring the 3-city Kansai tour home to Ki Bar in Pontocho. Double headliners Richaado (UK) and Evans Musoka (Kenya) headline one night of live English stand-up comedy in Kyoto.

SPECIAL TICKETED EVENT

BUY TICKETS FOR KYOTO (Fienta)

TOKYO COMEDY BAR ON TOUR IN KOBE — RICHAAADO & EVANS MUSOKA — special English comedy show at Alchemy Kobe in Pontocho, Kyoto

Ticketed Show

SUN 8 NOV · 20:00

TOKYO COMEDY BAR ON TOUR IN KOBE — RICHAAADO & EVANS MUSOKA

Tokyo Comedy Bar and Kyoto Comedy Club close out the 3-city Kansai tour in Kobe. Double headliners Richaado (UK) and Evans Musoka (Kenya) take over Alchemy Kobe for one night of live English stand-up comedy.

SPECIAL TICKETED EVENT

BUY TICKETS FOR KOBE (Fienta)

A Different Kyoto Night

The Home for Comedy in Kyoto

Visitors experience Japan through temples, tea and unbelievable food. Kyoto Comedy offers another perspective: Japan through laughter.

We’re a local comedy community and a stage for live performance, bringing together comedians and audiences from Kyoto, across Japan and around the world.

From English and Japanese stand-up to manzai, rakugo, touring comedians and special shows, there’s always something new to laugh about — and someone new to meet.

Whether you live here or you’re just passing through, come for the comedy and stay for the people.

Great people. Great laughs. Nice drinks.

We’re building something Kyoto can call its own: a home for comedy in Kyoto.

Life in Japan Japanese Culture Kyoto Nightlife Language Mix-Ups Travel Stories Solo Travellers Welcome

International audience laughing together during a Kyoto Comedy show

Kyoto Comedy Calendar

WHAT’S ON

Open mic every Friday and live comedy every Saturday at 20:00 — plus special shows, touring headliners, 日本語 shows, workshops and charity events.

A smiling audience enjoying a Kyoto Comedy show at Ki Bar

SPECIAL OPEN MIC & 45-MIN SOLO SPECIAL: PETER SIDELL — 'THE LAMBORGHINI JOKE' at Ki Bar

NEXT UP

FRI 6 NOV · 20:00

Special Event

SPECIAL OPEN MIC & 45-MIN SOLO SPECIAL: PETER SIDELL — 'THE LAMBORGHINI JOKE'

FRIDAY · NOVEMBER 6 · DOORS 19:00 • SHOWTIME 20:00

TWO-PART NIGHT: OPEN MIC + 45-MIN WORK-IN-PROGRESS SPECIAL

1 drink minimum required

Ki Bar · Pontocho / Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto · Doors 19:00 · MAP

FREE ENTRY — PAY WHAT YOU FEEL (1 Drink Minimum Required)

TOKYO COMEDY BAR ON TOUR IN OSAKA — RICHAAADO & EVANS MUSOKA — official event banner, Absynthe Underground

FRI 6 NOV · 20:00

Ticketed Show

TOKYO COMEDY BAR ON TOUR IN OSAKA — RICHAAADO & EVANS MUSOKA

FRIDAY · NOVEMBER 6 · OSAKA

DOUBLE HEADLINER

1 drink minimum required

Absynthe Underground · Osaka

SPECIAL TICKETED EVENTBUY TICKETS FOR OSAKA (Fienta)

TOKYO COMEDY BAR ON TOUR IN KYOTO — RICHAAADO & EVANS MUSOKA — official event banner, Ki Bar

SAT 7 NOV · 20:00

Ticketed Show

TOKYO COMEDY BAR ON TOUR IN KYOTO — RICHAAADO & EVANS MUSOKA

SATURDAY · NOVEMBER 7 · KYOTO

DOUBLE HEADLINER

1 drink minimum required

Ki Bar · Pontocho / Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto · MAP

SPECIAL TICKETED EVENTBUY TICKETS FOR KYOTO (Fienta)

TOKYO COMEDY BAR ON TOUR IN KOBE — RICHAAADO & EVANS MUSOKA — official event banner, Alchemy Kobe

SUN 8 NOV · 20:00

Ticketed Show

TOKYO COMEDY BAR ON TOUR IN KOBE — RICHAAADO & EVANS MUSOKA

SUNDAY · NOVEMBER 8 · KOBE

DOUBLE HEADLINER

1 drink minimum required

Alchemy Kobe · Kobe, Hyogo

SPECIAL TICKETED EVENTBUY TICKETS FOR KOBE (Fienta)

EVERY FRIDAY · 20:00

Open Mic

FUNNY FRIDAYS — STAND-UP COMEDY OPEN MIC IN KYOTO

EVERY FRIDAY @ 20:00 (DOORS OPEN 19:00)

An open stage for local expats, students, first-timers, and visiting comics testing fresh material. Come to watch, cheer, or grab the mic yourself.

1 drink minimum required

Ki Bar · Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto

FREE ENTRY — PAY WHAT YOU FEEL (1 Drink Minimum Required)SIGN UP FOR OPEN MIC

Saturday Flagship Comedy Showcase — official event banner, Ki Bar

EVERY SATURDAY · 20:00

Regular Show

Saturday Flagship Comedy Showcase

EVERY SATURDAY @ 20:00 (DOORS OPEN 19:00)

A curated showcase featuring Kyoto's top local acts, seasoned comedians, and visiting international headliners performing polished material.

1 drink minimum required

Ki Bar · Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto

FREE ENTRY — PAY WHAT YOU FEEL (1 Drink Minimum Required)

Real Show Moments

What A Night At Kyoto Comedy Looks Like

Audience laughing hard at a live English stand up comedy show at Ki Bar in Pontocho, Kyoto — Laughs from the very first joke

Young Japanese comedian performing English stand up comedy for the crowd at Kyoto Comedy — Comedians from Japan and abroad

Kyoto Comedy's MC hosting a live English comedy night at Ki Bar near Kawaramachi, Kyoto — Hosted every show by our MC

Regular comedian on stage under the Kyoto Comedy sign at Ki Bar in central Kyoto — Our regular Kyoto line-up

Female comedian performing stand up comedy in English in Pontocho, Kyoto, Kansai — New voices every week

Comedian and full audience during an English comedy show at Ki Bar, Pontocho, Kyoto — Close, intimate room

International comedian dancing on stage at Kyoto Comedy near Gion, Kyoto — Comedy with no language barrier

Comedian and audience laughing together at an English stand up comedy night in Kyoto — A real Kyoto night out

Audience applauding during a live Kyoto Comedy show at Ki Bar — A warm Kyoto welcome

Audience laughing together during a live stand-up comedy show in Kyoto — Shared laughs in Pontocho

Zenjiro performing stand-up comedy live on stage in Kyoto — Zenjiro live in Kyoto

Audience enjoying a Kyoto Comedy night at the bar — Comedy, drinks and good company

Rochelle Collins performing stand-up comedy live in Kyoto — Rochelle Collins on stage

Zoë Sheehan performing stand-up comedy live in Kyoto — Zoë Sheehan on stage

Audience laughing hard during a live Kyoto Comedy show at Ki Bar in Pontocho — Every seat is a good seat

Audience applauding and clapping during an English stand-up comedy show in Kyoto — Warm applause all night

A packed Ki Bar room with a comedian on stage during a Kyoto Comedy show — The room in full swing

Visiting comedian performing stand-up comedy on the Kyoto Comedy stage at Ki Bar — Comedians visiting Kyoto

Visiting comedian from Taiwan performing stand-up comedy at Kyoto Comedy — Voices from around the world

Martin Mizumoto performing stand-up comedy live at Kyoto Comedy — Martin Mizumoto live

What To Expect

Everything You Need For A Good Night Out

Live English Stand-Up

Shows are performed entirely in English, hosted in a relaxed bar room.

Local & International Acts

Featuring local, Japan-based, international and visiting comedians.

A Changing Lineup

The lineup changes between shows, so no two nights are quite the same.

Drinks At The Bar

Drinks are available from the bar, including non-alcoholic options.

Meet Locals & Travellers

A social room where solo travellers, residents and locals sit together.

Free Entry — Pay What You Feel

No ticket needed upfront. Pay what you feel the show was worth at the end.

Please buy at least one drink from the bar to support our host venue, Ki Bar.

Reviews

What People Are Saying

Read reviews written by travellers and locals, or leave your own after the show.

★★★★★

When you go to Kyoto Comedy, you can expect a warm, welcoming atmosphere, great comedians with absolute banger jokes and really nice talks with everyone in the club. No matter if you‘re a local, a tourist, a traveller - this is the place to be for a fun night out with absolute wholesome people :) 12/10 experience!

Josephine MarvinVerified Google Review

★★★★★

Great English speaking comedy show!! Stumbled on it our first night in Kyoto and made certain we came back 4 weeks later at the end of our trip to enjoy it again!

Jada ScottVerified Google Review

★★★★★

The best way to start a Saturday night out in Kyoto! The energy in this place is amazing, the staff are fun and the comedians are hilarious...

Kaleigh HallidayVerified Google Review

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Join The Fun

Come Laugh With Us

Find Us

Find Kyoto Comedy

Kyoto Comedy Club

Current host venue: Ki Bar

123-1 Ishiyacho, Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, 604-8002

080-1612-4232

In Kyoto's central nightlife area, a short walk from Kawaramachi and Sanjo stations.

Located in historic Pontocho, right next to Gion and Kawaramachi, Kyoto Comedy is the top English stand-up comedy experience in Kansai.

Traveling from Osaka? We are a quick 45-minute train ride from Umeda/Namba—the perfect night out in Kyoto!

OPEN IN GOOGLE MAPS

Kyoto Comedy is currently hosted at Ki Bar, Pontocho / Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan.

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Hall Of Fame

HEADLINER HALL OF FAME

Past and regular headliners from across Japan and the world

Headliner · Japan

ZENJIRO

International Award-Winning Multilingual Comedian. Winner of Thailand Int'l Comedy Festival, 2nd Place L.A. Comedy Store, featured on HBO, BBC, and Just For Laughs.

@zenjirotokyo

Headliner · United States

TOM RHODES

Comedy Central's first-ever spokesperson and world-traveling stand-up legend!

Tom Rhodes is a world-traveling stand-up comedian, actor, and podcaster celebrating four decades in comedy. Famously signed as Comedy Central’s first spokesperson in the 1990s, Rhodes went on to star in his own NBC sitcom (Mr. Rhodes), host a late-night talk show in the Netherlands, and release a Netflix special (Light Sweet Crude). Praised by The New York Times for his 'absurdly optimistic cynicism,' he has performed in over 40 countries across seven acclaimed comedy albums. A true master of the craft, his fast-thinking rhythms make him an essential, world-class feature act.

Headliner · JP/USA

DAN WILSON

Half-Japanese and Arizona-raised, Dan Wilson has become wildly popular online for his hilarious takes on Japanese language and culture. Before stand-up, Dan spent nine years performing traditional manzai on Japanese television. Now he brings a raw, honest, and unfiltered perspective to the stage, digging into cultural truths and the absurdities of seeing Japan from both sides.

Headliner · USA

JON ALLEN

Jon Allen is a former physicist turned stand-up comedian who has performed everywhere from SF to New York to Tokyo. Now based in Osaka, Jon is living his second act as a self-proclaimed American refugee in Asia, blending sharp storytelling, viral internet fame, and an outsider's perspective on Japan into a hilarious hour of stand-up about culture shock, reinvention, and the absurdity of modern life.

Headliner · UK / Japan

BJ FOX

BJ Fox is a British stand-up comedian, actor, and the mastermind behind Tokyo Comedy Bar, Japan’s first dedicated stand-up comedy club. A true pioneer of bilingual comedy in Japan, BJ wrote and starred in NHK’s first English-language sitcom Home Sweet Tokyo and co-hosts the hit podcast Urawaza Eigo. Seamlessly blending razor-sharp British wit with hilarious observations on life in Japan, he is one of the most dynamic headliners in the country today. Don't miss him headlining live in Kyoto on October 14th!

Headliner · Japan

MESHIDA

Meshida is a Japanese stand-up comedian and content creator who performs his routines in English. He left a corporate career as an internet company employee and spent time studying comedy in the United Kingdom, becoming a 2017 London Comedy Store King Gong Show finalist. He is the founder of The Funny Japan Project and hosts live shows, walking tours in Kabukicho, and adult-oriented stand-up shows in Tokyo focusing on Japanese culture, society, and taboos. He also shares comedic videos through channels like YouTube and X (Twitter) with over 200,000 subscribers.

Headliner · United Kingdom

RICHAAADO

Viral UK comedian Richaado brings his high-energy, culture-clashing wit to the stage! Richaado (Richard Tomić) is a UK-born stand-up comedian and writer who has amassed a global following through his viral cultural commentary. Seamlessly blending sharp British wit with fluent Japanese, his high-energy stand-up explores the hilarious realities of life as a foreigner in Japan. A staple of the Tokyo comedy circuit, Richaado is a must-see feature act.

Headliner · Kenya

EVANS MUSOKA

Uncensored, honest, and hilariously raw — Kenyan-born comedian Evans Musoka has been a powerhouse on the Japan comedy scene for over a decade. A resident headliner at Tokyo Comedy Bar with his own monthly signature show, Evans delivers a masterclass in raw, unfiltered storytelling, blending sharp global commentary with candid stories about navigating life as an expat in Tokyo.

Headliner · Israel / Germany

SHAHAK SHAPIRA

Shahak Shapira is an Israel-born, Berlin-based stand-up comedian, bestselling author, and multi-disciplinary artist. Self-described as a 'walking container for some of the planet's most problematic identities,' Shahak seamlessly bridges intense subject matter — from roots, racism, and war to mental health crises and heartbreak — with masterful punchlines. The former host and head writer of his own German late-night sketch show Shapira Shapira, he has opened for comedy icons like Jim Gaffigan and Ari Shaffir. Internationally renowned for viral activist art projects like YOLOCAUST.

Headliner · United Kingdom / Tokyo

PETER SIDELL

Originally from England, Peter Sidell started performing stand-up comedy in Tokyo in 2010, developing a distinctive style fusing dry delivery, off-kilter humor, and deft punchlines. He's performed across Asia and Europe, and in 2023 took a solo show to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Known for his acerbic wit and leftfield cultural commentary.

Looking Back